ABSTRACT
We studied the effect of amphotericin B (2.5×10-5 and 5.4×10-5 M) on osmotic resistance and surface cytoarchitectonics of donor blood erythrocytes. Antibiotic at a concentration of 2.5×10-5 M induced most pronounced changes in the studied parameters, which can be related to the specifics of the spatial organization of the cholesterol-amphotericin B complexes at different stoichiometric ratios of the components and their ability to pore formation in the membranes. Cholesterol binding to the polyene antibiotic and the appearance of perforations in the plasma membrane lead to accumulation of reversibly and irreversibly deformed cells and their hemolysis. The appearance of a large number of irreversibly deformed erythrocytes indicates an impaired ability to elastic deformation in the microcirculatory stream, which can lead to disruption of their functions in vivo and intravascular hemolysis.
