Interactions of β-Carotene with Red Blood Cells: Its Regulatory Role on Hemoglobin Functioning

J. Fiedora, M. Przetockia, A. Siniarskib, c, G. Gajosb, c, N. Spiridisd, K. Freindld, K. Burdaa aAGH-University of Science and Technology, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland bJagiellonian University, Medical College, Prądnicka 80, 31-202 Kraków, Poland cThe John Paul II Hospital, Prądnicka 80, 31-202 Kraków, Poland dJerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland

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Carotenoids are structurally and functionally a very diverse group of natural pigments. They are produced exclusively by organisms capable of photosynthesis and serve as important exogenous antioxidants for all living organisms. One of the most widespread carotenoids is β-carotene. In vitro studies demonstrated its ability to integrate with red blood cells' membranes affecting their physical and functional properties. Here, the results of experiments conducted on isolated red blood cells treated with β-carotene at concentration ~107 β-carotene/cell are presented. In particular, the Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to monitor hemoglobin states and its ability to reversibly bind oxygen in red blood cells incubated in the presence of β-carotene. The results showed that even at concentrations slightly above the physiological level (in plasma: 104-105 β-carotene/cell) β-carotene may affect not only the morphometric parameters of red blood cells but also modulate hemoglobin-oxygen affinity.

DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.139.283 topics: β-carotene, heme-iron, hemoglobin, red blood cells