Preliminary study of ssDNA aptamer cytotoxicity on RhD+ red blood cells / 中国输血杂志

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To investigate the effect of ssDNA aptamer of RhD blood group antigen on erythrocyte toxicity. 【Methods】 Two full-length ssDNA aptamers(82 bp) of RhD blood group antigen were obtained by gene synthesis.Five samples of whole blood with EDTA anticoagulant were collected to prepare red blood cell suspensions (4×107/mL), which were split into 10 tubes(100 μL/tube), corresponding to 5 experimental groups and 5 controls.Two monospecific full-length ssDNA sequences (100 pmol/μL, 5μL each) were added into the experimental group, while the same amount of normal saline into the control.After treatment, the experimental group and the control were incubated for 60 min at 37℃.After washing, they were suspended in LISS solution and stored at 4℃.The experimental group and the control were set according to different time point during storage (1 h, 1 d, 3 d, 10 d and 17 d), with 5 tubes in each group.For erythrocytes in LISS suspension at different storage time, Annexin V labeled with FITC was used as a probe to label the phosphatidylserine (PS) content and Fluo-4 to label Ca2+ .The eversion of PS and the change of Ca2+ concentration in red blood cells in LISS suspensions were determined by flow cytometry. 【Results】 After incubation, all groups were examined under the light microscope.No agglutination occurred in the experimental group, while agglutination occurred in the control.Flow cytometry showed that the number of Annexin V-FITC staining cells of suspended erythrocytes at the same storage time-point was similar between the experimental group and the control, with no significant differences.In the experimental group, apoptosis rate of Annexin V cells at 10-day storage(6.06±1.38) was significantly higher than that at 1-hour storage(P<0.05), so as at 17-day storage(7.77±1.23) than 1-hour, 1-day and 3-day storage(P<0.05). The apoptosis rate of Fluo-4 AM cell in suspended RBCs at the same storage time-point was similar between the two groups(P>0.05). In the experimental group, the apoptosis rate of Fluo-4 AM cell at the 3-day, 10-day and 17-day storage was 20.84±4.16, 22.35±3.37 and 27.06±2.81, respectively(P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 ssDNA aptamer was not found to have any cytotoxic effects on red blood cells, and RhD ssDNA aptamer may be used as a material for the detection and preparation of universal blood.