Impact of Enhanced Phagocytosis of Glycated Erythrocytes on Human Endothelial Cell Functions

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Diabetes is associated with a high mortality rate due to vascular complications. Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes leads to enhanced oxidative stress and glycation. Here, we explored the impact of glycation on human erythrocyte characteristics and capacity to affect endothelial cell function following erythrophagocytosis. Native and glucose-mediated glycated erythrocytes were prepared and characterized in terms of structural and deformability modifications. Erythrocyte preparations were tested for their binding and phagocytosis capacity as well as the potential functional consequences on human endothelial cell lines and primary cultures. Oxidative modifications were found to be enhanced in glycated erythrocytes after determination of their deformability, advanced glycation end-product content and eryptosis. Erythrophagocytosis by endothelial cells was significantly increased when incubated in the presence of glycated erythrocytes. In addition, higher iron accumulation, oxidative stress and impaired endothelial cell permeability were evidenced in cells previously incubated with glycated erythrocytes. When cultured under flow conditions, cellular integrity was disrupted by glycated erythrocytes at microvessel bifurcations, areas particularly prone to vascular complications. This study provides important new data on the impact of glycation on the structure of erythrocytes and their ability to alter endothelial cell function. Increased erythrophagocytosis may have a deleterious impact on endothelial cell function with adverse consequences on diabetic vascular complications.
Funding Information
  • Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche (RE0001897, RTI2018-097063-B-100, SEC/FEC-INV-BAS 20/013)
  • La Réunion University and by the European Regional Development Funds (RE0001897, RTI2018-097063-B-100, SEC/FEC-INV-BAS 20/013)
  • European Regional Development Funds (RE0001897, RTI2018-097063-B-100, SEC/FEC-INV-BAS 20/013)
  • “Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” (RE0001897, RTI2018-097063-B-100, SEC/FEC-INV-BAS 20/013)
  • “Sociedad Española de Cardiología y Fundación Española del Corazón” (RE0001897, RTI2018-097063-B-100, SEC/FEC-INV-BAS 20/013)

This publication has 56 references indexed in Scilit: