Effects of rejuvenation on young and old erythrocytes of banked blood towards the end of storage period.

The effects of rejuvenation on the subpopulation of stored erythrocytes have not been explored. This study aims at determining the influence of rejuvenation on young and old erythrocytes of stored blood. Prior studies have shown the disappearance of young cells after day 20 of storage. Blood was stored in CPDA-1 for 35 days and erythrocytes were isolated on 25, 30 and 35 day, revitalized using rejuvenation solution (PIPA), and separated into young and old erythrocytes using Percoll-BSA density gradient. Erythrocyte, oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity markers were assessed in the hemolysate. Young erythrocytes could be isolated beyond day 20 of storage, after rejuvenation. Antioxidant capacity of both young (rejuvenated young cells) and old (rejuvenated old cells) increased while superoxides decreased resulting in lower levels of protein oxidation & lipid peroxidation. Rejuvenation reduced storage lesion and maintained membrane sulfhydryls in both young and old erythrocytes, however, it could not restore sialic acids. Rejuvenation had more impact on young. A higher young: old cell ratio would be beneficial for transfusion. This study gives a comparative analysis of rejuvenation on erythrocyte aging in banked blood, thus opening new avenues towards better blood bank practices.