Role of protein kinases of human red cell membrane in deformability and aggregation changes

The proteomic analysis has shown that the red cell membrane contains several kinases and phosphatases. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the role of protein kinases of human red cell membrane in deformability and aggregation alterations. The exposure of red blood cells (RBCs) to some chemical compounds has led to a change in the RBC microrheological properties. When forskolin (10 μM), an adenylyl cyclase (AC) and a protein kinase A (PKA) stimulator were added to RBC suspension, the RBC deformability (RBCD) was increased by 20% (p<0.05). Somewhat more significant deformability rise appeared after RBC incubation with dB-AMP (by 26%; p<0.01). The red cell aggregation (RBCA) was significantly decreased under these conditions (p<0.01). Markedly less changes of deformability were found after RBC incubation with protein kinase stimulator C (PKC)—phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). This drug reduced the red cell aggregation only slightly. The red cell tyrosine phosphotase activity was changed by N-vanadat and a significant RBCD rise and RBCA lowering were obtained. The similar effect was found when the cells were incubated with cisplatin as a tyrosine protein kinase (TPK) activator. It is important to note that a selective TPK inhibitor—lavendustin eliminated the above mentioned effects. On the whole the total data clearly show that the red cell aggregation and deformation alteratrions are connected with an activation of the different intracellular signaling pathways.