Interplay Between Carotenoids and Red Blood Cells: What Can We Learn from Mössbauer Study? |
| J. Fiedor, K. Burda
AGH University of Krakow, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland |
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| Hemoglobin is a tetrameric protein composed of four polypeptide chains with embedded prosthetic heme groups that, in particular, are binding sites for O2. There are various modulators, both natural and synthetic, that can influence the affinity of hemoglobin for molecular oxygen. Carotenoids are natural pigments that are well known for their beneficial health effects. In model studies, they have been shown to integrate with the membranes of red blood cells, altering their properties and functionality, and act as protective agents against induced hemoglobin oxidation. Due to their significance, the properties of a model carotenoid, β-carotene, as a potential modulator of Hb-O2 interactions, were investigated. This article briefly reviews the effect of β-carotene on altering the properties of hemoglobin inside red blood cells that were exposed to it in vitro. |
DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.146.234 topics: carotenoid, erythrocyte, heme-iron, hemoglobin |