Thromb Haemost 2011; 105(06): 1046-1052
DOI: 10.1160/TH10-11-0716
Platelets and Blood Cells
Schattauer GmbH

Erythrocyte membrane sulfatide plays a crucial role in the adhesion of sickle erythrocytes to endothelium

Zhou Zhou
1   Thrombosis Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
,
Perumal Thiagarajan
1   Thrombosis Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
,
Mark M. Udden
2   Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
,
José A. López
3   Puget Sound Blood Center and Hematology Division, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
,
Prasenjit Guchhait
1   Thrombosis Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
› Author Affiliations
Financial support: This study was supported by American Heart Association grants (0565044Y and 0735130N) to PG, NIH R01 HL65205 grant to JAL, and a Veterans Affairs Merit Review Grant to PT.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 10 November 2010

Accepted after major revision: 03 February 2011

Publication Date:
28 November 2017 (online)

Summary

Enhanced adhesion of sickle erythrocytes to the vascular endothelium and subendothelial matrix is fundamental to the development of vascular occlusion in sickle cell disease. Erythrocyte membrane sulfatide is implicated in the pathogenesis of vasoocclusive crises in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. Because previous evidence linking sulfatide to cell adhesion has largely been circumstantial due to a lack of reagents that specifically target sulfatide, we used two sulfatide-specific strategies to address the role of erythrocyte membrane sulfatide in sickle cell adhesion to the vascular endothelium: a single-chain fragment variable chain (scFv) antibody against sulfatide as well as cerebroside sulfotransferase-deficient mice incapable of synthesising sulfatide. The sickle erythrocytes from mice and humans adhered at a greater extent and at higher shear stresses to activated endothelium than normal erythrocytes, and approximately 60% of the adhesion was prevented by the anti-sulfatide scFv. Similarly, the extent of adhesion of sulfatide-deficient erythrocytes was lower than normal erythrocytes. These findings suggest an important role for membrane sulfatide in sickle cell disease pathophysiology.

 
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