Preventing oxidative reactions during red blood cell storage for transfusion

Red blood cell transfusion is life-saving for severely ill and injured patients. However, transfusion can increase mortality due to the prolonged storage time of blood. Previous studies have indicated that red blood cells undergo structural and molecular changes during storage that affect their lifespan and proper function. To determine whether the SAGM storage solution is a sufficient replacement for the native plasma, we characterized markers of aging for blood samples stored in both conditions. We showed that the antioxidant capacity of stored red blood cells decreases over time, and is significantly lower for red blood cells stored in SAGM than stored in plasma. We observed increased oxidation of Peroxiredoxin-2 during storage, with SAGM samples exhibiting significantly higher oxidation than plasma samples. These data suggest that red blood cells are more oxidatively stressed when stored in SAGM than their native environment. In order to identify antioxidants that could be used as new additives to the current storage solution, we are establishing a high-throughput screening on thousands of chemical compounds, as well as a study on plasma antioxidants. These additives should allow improving the quality of blood transfusion and extending the storage time of blood products.