Abstract:
Recapitulatory it is to say that both, iron-deficiency causing anemia and lead-intoxication, enhance the sensibility of erythrocytes to run into stress induced apoptosis.
This effect isn´t only caused by the increased activity of a calcium dependant cation channel. The gain of intracellular Ca2+ by this mechanism again activates an enzyme called scramblase, which is proximately causing phosphatidylserine-exposure on the outer cell membrane and activation of the GARDOS-channel with consecutive loss of intracellular potassium-chloride inducing cell shrinkage. Erythrocytes exposing phosphatidylserine are recognized, bound, engulfed and degraded by macrophages. According to this red blood cells can be filtered of the circulating blood.
These pathways are possibly responsible for the accelerated recycling of erythrocytes in circulation and therefore provide an explanation of the symptoms of the mentioned forms of anemia. This study opens some new aspects of pathophysiologic reasons of anemia.
It also develops novel ideas of individual treatment, e. g. potential inhibitors of erythrocyte apoptosis. By application of these medications complications of severe forms of anemia could eventually be alleviated and patients would need fewer blood transfusions. The prognosis of chronic heart disease is decisively influenced by anemic conditions and could be improved by adequate treatment. Drug intervention would strongly be eased by detailed knowledge about concrete mechanisms of erythrocyte apoptosis and its connection with anemia.