Effect of Pentoxifylline on Red Cell Flexibility and Cation Transport in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Hereditary Spherocytosis

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Abstract
The effect of pentoxyifylline (3,7-dimethyl-1-(5-oxo-hexyl)-xanthine) on flexibility of red cells [RBC] was studied using a filtration method in which RBC were forced through a porous polycarbonate membrane at a constant flow-rate. Filtration pressure reflected RBC rigidity and amount of Hb released from the disrupted cells (free Hb) RBC fragility. This method allowed the 2 important determinants of FBC flexibility, rigidity and fragility, to be studied simultaneously. Pentoxifylline significantly improved normal RBC flexibility in vivo and in vitro as judged by this method. Impaired flexibility of RBC from patients with congenital or hereditary spherocytosis (HS) was aggravated by pentoxifylline in vitro. A similar effect of pentoxifylline was also observed on RBC from relatives of HS patients. The effect of pentoxifylline on Ca2+ transport and Ca2+Mg2+-ATPase activity in RBC from normal and HS patients was investigated. Under in vitro conditions pentoxifylline did not affect Ca2+Mg2+-ATPase activity of or Ca2+ efflux from normal and HS RBC. Neither influx of monovalent cations (Na+, Rb+) nor osmotic resistance of normal or HS RBC was affected by pentoxifylline.