Sanquin Home Sanquin Home Sanquin
Home ● Contact ● Sanquin ● News ● Jobs ● Sitemap ●
Diagnostic Services
 		●
Products
 		●
Research
 		●
Education & Training
 		●
Business Activities
Arthur Verhoeven


Research in the Department of Transfusion Technology aims to improve storage conditions, cryopreservation and safety of cellular blood products. New technologies to inactivate pathogens are investigated to determine a safe window between pathogen inactivation and collateral cell damage. The department consists of two laboratories, the Laboratory of Blood Transfusion Technology and the Laboratory of Cryobiology. Dr. Verhoeven supervises several research projects, ongoing in these laboratories.

Previous studies on the effect of photodynamic treatment (PDT) for the inactivation of pathogens in red cell concentrates (RCC) have indicated loss of phospholipid asymmetry of the plasma membrane due to activation of phospholipid scrambling. We now have investigated maintenance of phospholipid asymmetry during long-term storage of RCC at 4°C. Two activities affecting phospholipid asymmetry were investigated: the ATP-dependent translocase (or flippase, transporting phosphatidylserine from the outer to inner leaflet) and scrambling activity. In contrast to many other blood cell types, phospholipid scrambling is absent in red cells, both directly after isolation and after storage at 4°C for 7 weeks. This results in good maintenance of phospholipid asymmetry during storage at 4°C, as indicated by the absence of cells able to bind Annexin V (<5%). We did observe, however, a decrease in flippase activity starting after 4 weeks of storage, which is, at least in part, due to the decrease in cellular ATP. A decrease in flippase activity might the red cells in vivo in their ability to shuttle phosphatidylserine from the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane back to the inner leaflet.
As adjunct to monitor RBC storage, a new method to determine p50 values inside intact RBC was designed, but further development (especially in the field of equipment) is needed to make this a useful tool for clinical diagnostics and for research.
In 2004, a new project was started for pathogen inactivation in platelet concentrates (in collaboration with the CAF in Bruxelles) which focusses on the application of UV-C illumination. The advantage of this approach is that inactivation of pathogens can be achieved without addition of a photosensitizer. After initial promising results, at least 2 drawbacks of this approach have now been identified, which require further studies to make this technique valuable for blood bank practice.


Nr.
Articles

1.
Hilarius PM, Ebbing IG, Dekkers DW, Lagerberg JW, de Korte D, Verhoeven AJ. Generation of singlet oxygen induces phospholipid scrambling in human erythrocytes. Biochemistry 2004; 43(13):4012-9.

2.
Kuijpers TW, Maianski NA, Tool AT, Becker K, Plecko B, Valianpour F, Wanders RJ, Pereira R, van Hove J, Verhoeven AJ, Roos D, Baas F, Barth PG. Neutrophils in Barth syndrome (BTHS) avidly bind annexin-V in the absence of apoptosis. Blood 2004; 103(10):3915-23.

3.
Dijkstra-Tiekstra MJ, de Korte D, Pietersz RNI, Reesink HW, van der Meer PF, Verhoeven AJ. Comparison of various dimethylsulphoxide-containing solutions for cryopreservation of leucoreduced platelet concentrates. Vox Sang 2003; 85(4):276-82.

4.
Hardeman MR, Besselink GA, Ebbing I, de Korte D, Ince C, Verhoeven AJ. Laser-assisted optical rotational cell analyzer measurements reveal early changes in human RBC deformability induced by photodynamic treatment. Transfusion 2003; 43(11):1533-7.

5.
Lelkens CCM, Noorman F, Koning JG, Truijens-de Lange R, Stekkinger PS, Bakker JC, Lagerberg JWM, Brand A, Verhoeven AJ. Stability after thawing of RBCs frozen with the high- and low- glycerol method. Transfusion 2003; 43(2):157-64.

Top


« back