Metabolic Effects of Endogenous and Exogenous Heterotropic Hemoglobin Modulators on Anion Transport: The Case of Pig Erythrocytes

Abstract

This comparative study, focused on the anion kinetic of band 3 protein of pig erythrocytes, investigates in vitro the metabolic functionality of the red blood cells of this mammal which show particular characteristics of the cell membrane and significant stoichiometric variations of several cytosolic components. Pig red blood cells compared to human ones, are characterized by a higher anion flux strongly modulated by the conformational transition state (T-R) of hemoglobin; these findings are probably connected to the intracellular concentration of 2,3-disphosphoglycerate and to chloride activity. The experimental use, alone or in combination, of some exogenous heterotropic modulators of hemoglobin as orthovanadate, gemfibrozil and resveratrol, shows characteristic modulations of the anion flux which are related to the cytosolic metabolites physiologically present in pig erythrocytes, to the metabolism and oxidative stress. Our findings highlight new features about the pig red blood cells functionality and contribute to extending the current understanding of their life cycle, providing opportunities for new investigations in the field of comparative physiology.