Acellular Invertebrate Hemoglobins as Model Therapeutic Oxygen Carriers: Unique Redox Potentials

Natural acellular polymeric hemoglobins (Hb) provide oxygen transport and delivery within many terrestrial and marine invertebrate organisms. It has been our premise that these natural acellular Hbs may serve as models of therapeutic hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOC). Our attention has focused on the acellular Hb from the terrestrial invertebrate, Lumbricus terrestris (Lt), which possesses a unique hierarchical structure and a unique ability to function extracellularly without oxidative damage. Lumbricus Hb and Arenicola Hb are resistant to autoxidation, chemical oxidation by potassium ferricyanide, and have little or no capacity to transfer electrons to Fe(+3)-complexes at 37 degrees C. An understanding of how these invertebrate acellular oxygen carriers maintain their structural integrity and redox stability in vivo is vital for the design of a safe and effective red cell substitute. We report here a positive redox potential for these giant hemoglobins that may lie at the basis for its resistance to oxidation.

Determination of the formal reduction potential of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin using thin layer spectroelectrochemistry

The formal reduction potential (Eo') of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin was determined using thin layer spectroelectrochemistry as 0.073 (+/-0.005) V vs Ag/AgCl (0.281 V vs SHE, standard hydrogen electrode). Nernst plots of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin with tris-bipyridinecobalt(II) as a mediator titrant have similar linear slopes as Nernst plots of horse heart myoglobin with hexaamineruthenium(II) as a mediator titrant.

Role of redox potential of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers on methemoglobin reduction by plasma components

A functional requirement for all hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) is the maintenance of the heme-iron in the reduced state. This is necessary for the reversible binding/release of molecular oxygen and minimization of methemoglobin (Fe+3) formation. Acellular hemoglobins are especially susceptible to oxidation and denaturation. In the absence of the intrinsic reducing systems of the red blood cell, the reduced heme-Fe+2 can be oxidized to form increasing levels of methemoglobin that can give rise to free radicals and oxidative cellular damage. If acellular HBOCs are to be utilized as red cell substitutes for oxygen delivery, these carriers must be stabilized in the plasma, the carrier medium. Normal plasma contains reducing components, such as ascorbic acid and glutathione, that can afford protection to these acellular HBOCs through electron-transfer mediated processes. For these components to provide effective reduction to an HBOC, a favorable reduction potential difference must exist between the reducing agent and the HBOC. Using a modified thin-layer spectroelectrochemical method, a determination of the formal reduction potential (vs. Ag/AgCl) of several oxygen carriers, including monomeric myoglobin, tetrameric HbA and HbS, chemically cross-linked HbXL99alpha, polymerized oxyglobin (FDA approved for canine anemia), and the natural cross-linked polymeric Lumbricus hemoglobin, have been determined. In contrast to the negative formal reduction potentials (-155 to -50 mV) obtained for Mb, HbA, HbS, HbXL99alpha, and oxyglobin, Lumbricus hemoglobin exhibited a positive formal reduction potential (approximately 100 mV). These results may help explain the greater effectiveness of the tested reducing agents to reduce met Lumbricus hemoglobin, compared to the other HBOCs, back to the required reduced form necessary for physiological binding/release of oxygen. Each reducing agent was capable of reducing met Lumbricus hemoglobin to the fully reduced state, although the kinetics of these reactions were different. HbA, HbXL99alpha, and oxyglobin were only partially reduced (10 to 37%) by glutathione, beta-NADH, and ascorbic acid under similar conditions.

The effects of inhaled budesonide on circulating eosinophil progenitors and their expression of cytokines after allergen challenge in subjects with atopic asthma

Allergen inhalation by dual responder subjects with atopic asthma is associated with an increase in circulating eosinophil/basophil colony-forming units (Eo/B CFU) and granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor (GM-CSF) immunolocalization in Eo/B colony cells grown in vitro. The current study examined the effect of the inhaled corticosteroid, budesonide, on the number of allergen- induced circulating eosinophils and Eo/B CFU, and immunolocalization of GM-CSF and interleukin-5 (IL-5) in Eo/B colony cells grown in vitro. Sixteen subjects with mild atopic asthma were treated for either 7 or 8 d with 200 microg inhaled budesonide or placebo twice a day. Peripheral blood was collected before and 24 h after allergen inhalation challenge and nonadherent mononuclear cells (NAMC) were grown in methylcellulose culture. Eo/B CFU were enumerated after 14 d in culture, and prepared on slides for immunocytochemistry. Budesonide attenuated the allergen-induced increase in circulating eosinophils (4.0 +/- 0.4 x 10(5)/ml versus 6.5 +/- 0.7 x 10(5)/ml, p = 0.0001), circulating Eo/B CFU (12.4 +/- 2.3/10(6) NAMC versus 18.8 +/- 4.6/10(6) NAMC, p = 0.05), and immunolocalization of GM-CSF in Eo/B colony cells (11.8 +/- 1.9% positive versus 18.0 +/- 2.2%, p = 0.01) but not immunolocalization of IL-5 (7.9 +/- 1.4% versus 4.5 +/- 0.6%, p > 0.05). Inhaled budesonide attenuated the number of allergen-induced circulating eosinophils and their progenitors grown in the presence of GM-CSF, which may partially be a result of regulating eosinophil progenitor expression of the autocrine growth factor GM-CSF.