Is there a direct role for erythrocytes in the immune response?

Abstract

Erythrocytes are highly abundant circulating cells in the vertebrates, which, with the notable exception of mammals, remain nucleated throughout the entire life cycle. The major function associated with these cells is respiratory gas exchange however other functions including interaction with the immune system have been attributed to these cells. Many viral, prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens directly target this cell type and across the vertebrate group a significant number of related pathologies have been reported. Across the primary literature mechanisms of interaction, invasion and replication between viruses and erythrocytes have been well described however the functional response of the erythrocyte has been poorly studied. A fragmented series of reports spanning the vertebrates suggests that these cells are capable of functional responses to viral infection. In contrast, in-depth proteomic studies using human erythrocytes have strongly progressed throughout the past decade providing a rich source of information related to protein expression and potential function. Furthermore information at the gene expression level is becoming available. Here we provide a review of erythrocyte-pathogen interactions, erythrocyte functions in immunity and propose in light of recent -omics research that the nucleated erythrocytes may have a direct role in the immune response.

Erythrocytes in teleost fishes: a review

“…According to Morera and MacKenzie (2011), their half-life in various species is 80-500 days. According to Fischer, Ototake, and Nakanishi (1998), the maximum life span of Carassius carassius erythrocytes is 270 days, while the half-life is about 52 days.…”

Identification of the major capsid protein of erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV) and development of quantitative real-time PCR assays for quantification of ENV DNA

“…2 Nearly all nonmammalian vertebrates, including fish, have nucleated erythrocytes that are specifically targeted by a variety of pathogens. 15 In fish, a number of viruses are associated with intraerythrocytic cytoplasmic inclusion bodies, including ENV, erythrocytic inclusion body syndrome virus (EIBSV), 14,22 piscine orthoreovirus (PRV), 7 rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss erythrocytic virus (Landolt ML, et al, 1977), intraerythrocytic virus-like particle in coho salmon (O. kisutch; Hedrick RP, et al, 1987), and viral erythrocytic infection virus (VEIV). 18 Among these, genomic sequence data are available to date for only ENV and PRV, 6,17 and PRV is the only intraerythrocytic virus for which polyclonal antibodies are available.…”

Association between body size and selected hematological parameters in men and women aged 45 and above from a hospitalized population of older adults: an insight from the Polish Longitudinal Study of Aging (1960–2000)

“…Other functions of red blood cells include: playing certain role in the immune response, modulating T cell proliferation and survival, releasing free radicals from hemoglobin after lysis caused by bacteria or by other intruders in order to destroy the pathogens, protecting against oxidative damage, inactivating some types of free radicals, acting as acid-base buffer, producing nitric oxide, S-nitrosothiol, and certain enzymes, promoting normal blood flow through releasing substances that relax and dilate blood vessels, etc. (Richards et al 1998;Fonseca et al 2003;Sprague et al 2007;Morera and MacKenzie 2011;Jelkmann 2012).…”