Antioxidant metabolism during blood storage and its relationship to posttransfusion red cell survival

Abstract The status of the erythrocyte antioxidant defense system and its relationship to posttransfusion red cell survival were determined in erythrocytes stored for 35 or 42 days in CPD‐A1 anticoagulant with a saline‐adenine‐glucose additive. As storage progressed, there was a significant increase in incubated Heinz body formation (P < .001) and a significant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) stability (P < .001). Stimulated pentose phosphate shunt activity also declined during storage (P < .06), while unstimulated shunt activity remained unchanged. The increase in Heinz body formation was associated with decreased GSH stability (r = –.77, P < .001), which in turn was associated with the decline in stimulated pentose shunt activity (r = .67, P < .001). The changes in Heinz body formation (r = ‐.85), GSH stability (r = .83). and stimulated pentose shunt activity (r = .54) were all significantly (P < .001) related to the decline in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of the erythrocyte. Red cell survival 24 hours after transfusion was significantly related to the GSH stability (r = .80, P < .001) and to the ATP concentration (r = .76, P < .005) on the day of transfusion. Thus, dysfunction of the erythrocyte antioxidant defense system occurs during blood storage and appears to be related, in part, to ATP depletion. The ability to maintain a normal reduced glutathione concentration during oxidant stress appears to be an important determinant of red cell survival in the peritransfusion period.