Effect of Prostaglandins on Hemolysis of Erythrocytes from Human and Various Animal Species

Erythrocytes from human and various animal species (rabbit, rat, pig, bovine and horse) were hemolyzed in isotonic solution. A clear difference was observed in the rate of hemolysis among species. Correlation between erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine content and the rate of hemolysis seemed to exist. The experiments were performed to know whether or not prostaglandins (PG) have some effect on hemolysis. PGE1 or PGE2 at concentrations of above 10-9M was found to have an inhibitory action on hemolysis. Polyphloretin phosphate (PPP), which has been known to be an antagonistic agent to the action of PG in some animal cells, had strong hemolytic action. PGE1 had a reversed effect on the hemolytic action of PPP. Differences in the rate of hemolysis were also observed among species by active oxygens induced by a hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system. PEGi also had an inhibitory effect on hemolysis. During the oxidative hemolysis, remarkable changes in phospholipid compositions were observed, suggesting that peroxidized phospholipids were formed