The cytoplasmic domain of band 3 serves as a center of erythrocyte membrane organization and constitutes the major substrate of erythrocyte tyrosine kinases. Tyrosine phosphorylation of band 3 is induced by several physiologic stimuli, including malaria parasite invasion, cell shrinkage, normal cell aging, and oxidant stress (thalassemias, sickle cell disease, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, etc). In an effort to characterize the biologic sequelae of band 3 tyrosine phosphorylation, we looked for changes in the polypeptide's function that accompany its phosphorylation. We report that tyrosine phosphorylation promotes dissociation of band 3 from the spectrin-actin skeleton as evidenced by: (1) a decrease in ankyrin affinity in direct binding studies, (2) an increase in detergent extractability of band 3 from ghosts, (3) a rise in band 3 cross-linkability by bis-sulfosuccinimidylsuberate, (4) significant changes in erythrocyte morphology, and (5) elevation of the rate of band 3 diffusion in intact cells. Because release of band 3 from its ankyrin and adducin linkages to the cytoskeleton can facilitate changes in multiple membrane properties, tyrosine phosphorylation of band 3 is argued to enable adaptive changes in erythrocyte biology that permit the cell to respond to the above stresses. (Blood. 2011; 117(22):5998-6006) IntroductionEarly views of the human erythrocyte argued that the cell was inert to external stimuli and that its complement of protein kinases, phospholipases, G proteins, phosphatases, and hormone receptors simply constituted nonfunctional vestiges of signaling pathways that were once operational in erythroid precursor cells. More recent evidence, however, has revealed that the human erythrocyte is highly responsive to its environment and that the cell's rich ensemble of signaling proteins likely comprise critical components in the cell's communication with its extracellular milieu. Classic hormones/signaling molecules such as prostaglandin E 2 , insulin, epinephrine, endothelin, ADP, and NO are now known to modulate erythrocyte properties in an adaptive manner, and the functional activities of many intracellular signaling intermediates have been demonstrated to regulate erythrocyte behavior. [1][2][3][4][5] One of the major targets of erythrocyte signaling appears to be the predominant membrane-spanning protein, band 3. Band 3 (AE1) catalyzes the exchange of anions (primarily HCO 3 Ϫ for Cl Ϫ ) across the erythrocyte membrane, 6 anchors the spectrin/ actin cytoskeleton to the lipid bilayer, 7 organizes and regulates a complex of glycolytic enzymes, 8,9 participates in control of erythrocyte lifespan, 10,11 nucleates several important membrane-spanning proteins, 12 and serves as a docking site for multiple peripheral membrane proteins, including protein 4.1, protein 4.2, and several kinases and phosphatases. [13][14][15][16] Not surprisingly, mutations in band 3 are frequently associated with various hemolytic diseases. 17 Perhaps because of its many important functions, band 3 is a...

Oxidative events involving band 3 (Anion Exchanger 1) have been associated with RBC (red blood cell) removal through binding of NAbs (naturally occurring antibodies); however, the underlying mechanism has been only partially characterized. In addition to inducing direct membrane protein oxidative modification, oxidative treatment specifically triggers the phosphorylation of band 3 tyrosine residues. The present study reports that diamide, a thiol group oxidant, induces disulfide cross-linking of poorly glycosylated band 3 and that the oligomerized band 3 fraction is selectively tyrosine phosphorylated both in G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase)-deficient and control RBCs. This phenomenon is irreversible in G6PD-deficient RBCs, whereas it is temporarily limited in control RBCs. Diamide treatment caused p72 Syk phosphorylation and translocation to the membrane. Diamide also induced p72 Syk co-immunoprecipitation with aggregated band 3. Moreover, following size-exclusion separation of Triton X-100-extracted membrane proteins, Syk was found only in the high-molecular-mass fraction containing oligomerized/phosphorylated band 3. Src family inhibitors efficiently abrogated band 3 tyrosine phosphorylation, band 3 clustering and NAbs binding to the RBC surface, suggesting a causal relationship between these events. Experiments performed with the non-permeant cross-linker BS(3) (bis-sulfosuccinimidyl-suberate) showed that band 3 tyrosine phosphorylation enhances its capability to form large aggregates. The results of the present study suggest that selective tyrosine phosphorylation of oxidized band 3 by Syk may play a role in the recruitment of oxidized band 3 in large membrane aggregates that show a high affinity to NAbs, leading to RBC removal from the circulation.

In erythrocytes, the regulation of the redox sensitive Tyr phosphorylation of band 3 and its functions are still partially defined. A role of band 3 oxidation in regulating its own phosphorylation has been previously suggested. The current study provides evidences to support this hypothesis: (i) in intact erythrocytes, at 2 mM concentration of GSH, band 3 oxidation, and phosphorylation, Syk translocation to the membrane and Syk phosphorylation responded to the same micromolar concentrations of oxidants showing identical temporal variations; (ii) the Cys residues located in the band 3 cytoplasmic domain are 20-fold more reactive than GSH; (iii) disulfide linked band 3 cytoplasmic domain docks Syk kinase; (iv) protein Tyr phosphatases are poorly inhibited at oxidant concentrations leading to massive band 3 oxidation and phosphorylation. We also observed that hemichromes binding to band 3 determined its irreversible oxidation and phosphorylation, progressive hemolysis, and serine hyperphosphorylation of different cytoskeleton proteins. Syk inhibitor suppressed the phosphorylation of band 3 also preventing serine phosphorylation changes and hemolysis. Our data suggest that band 3 acts as redox sensor regulating its own phosphorylation and that hemichromes leading to the protracted phosphorylation of band 3 may trigger a cascade of events finally leading to hemolysis.

© F e r r a t a S t o r t i F o u n d a t i o ndifferent genetic and clinical status provided new insights into the pathogenic role of circulating MP and possible interventions to control their amount in thalassemia. MethodsUnless otherwise stated, all materials were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA. Additional information about the methods are provided in the Online Supplementary Data. Treatment of red blood cellsVenous blood was drawn from 12 healthy individuals, eight non-splenectomized TI patients and six splenectomized TI patients. All subjects provided written, informed consent before entering the study. The study was approved by the local Ethics Committee and conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines and the Declaration of Helsinki.Clinical analyses were performed by routine laboratory tests at the Policlinico Hospital (Milan, Italy). Blood anti-coagulated with heparin was stored in citrate-phosphate-dextrose with adenine (CPDA-1) prior to its use. RBC were washed three times with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS: 137mM NaCl, 2.7mM KCl, 8.1mM K 2 HPO 4 , 1.5mM KH 2 PO 4 , pH 7.4) containing glucose 5 mM to obtain packed RBC.To stimulate HMC formation, RBC from healthy donors were suspended at a hematocrit of 30% and incubated with different concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 mM) of phenylhydrazine at 37 °C for 4 h. To test the antioxidant effect in MP release we incubated 200 μM of 2-mercaptoethanol in the presence of 1 mM phenylhydrazine. When necessary, RBC were pretreated with Syk kinase inhibitors (10 μM Syk inhibitors II and 10 μM Syk inhibitors IV, Calbiochem, Darmstadt, Germany), for 1 h at 37 °C in the dark. Each reaction was terminated by three washes with PBS-glucose. For all protocols described, untreated controls were processed identically except that the stimulant/inducer was omitted from the incubation. Red blood cell membrane preparationStandard hypotonic membranes were prepared, as previously described, 20 and stored frozen at -80°C until use. Membrane protein content was quantified using the DC Protein assay (Biorad, Hercules, CA, USA). Analysis of microparticlesThe MP in plasma were analyzed by flow cytometry using a modification of a previously described method:22 25 μL of plasma diluted 1:1 with PBS-glucose 5mM were analyzed using anti-CD41 (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) and anti-glycophorin-A (Dako, Denmark), both diluted 1:10. Assay of hemichromesHMC were quantified by measuring heme absorbance (Abs) using the following equation:HMC= -133xAbs577 -114xAbs630 + 233xAbs560, and expressed as nMoles/mL of solubilized membranes. 23 Microparticle isolationTo induce MP release in vitro, RBC from each volunteer and phenylhydrazine-treated RBC in PBS (30% hematocrit) were incubated as previously described. 24 Electrophoresis and immunoblottingMembrane and MP proteins were solubilized in Laemmli buffer 25 under reducing [2% (w/v) dithiothreitol] or non-reducing conditions at a volume ratio of 1:1. Sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electropho...

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Peroxiredoxin 2 (Prx2), the third most abundant cytoplasmic protein in red blood cells (RBCs), is involved in the defense against oxidative stress. Although much is known about Prx2 in healthy RBCs, its role in pathological RBCs remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that the expression and net content of Prx2 are markedly increased in RBCs from two mouse models of β-thalassemia (β-thal; Hbbth/th and Hbbth3/+ strains). We also demonstrate that the increased expression of Prx2 correlates with the severity of the disease and that the amount of Prx2 bound to the membrane is markedly reduced in β-thal mouse RBCs. To explore the impact of oxidative stress on Prx2 membrane association, we examined Prx2 dimerization and membrane translocation in murine RBCs exposed to various oxidants (phenylhydrazine, PHZ; diamide; H2O2). PHZ-treated RBCs, which mimic the membrane damage in β-thal RBCs, exhibited a kinetic correlation among Prx2 membrane displacement, intracellular methemoglobin levels, and hemichrome membrane association, suggesting the possible masking of Prx2 docking sites by membrane-bound hemichromes, providing a possible mechanism for the accumulation of oxidized/dimerized Prx2 in the cytoplasm and the increased membrane damage in β-thal RBCs. Thus, reduced access of Prx2 to the membrane in β-thal RBCs represents a new factor that could contribute to the oxidative damage characterizing the pathology.

G6PD catalyzes the first, pace-making reaction of pentosephosphate cycle (PPC) which produces NADPH. NADPH maintains glutathione and thiol groups of proteins and enzymes in the reduced state which is essential for protection against oxidative stress. Individuals affected by G6PD deficiency are unable to regenerate reduced glutathione (GSH) and are undefended against oxidative stress. G6PD deficiency accelerates normal senescence and enhances the precocious removal of chronologically young, yet biologically old cells. The term hemolytic anemia is misleading because RBCs do not lyse but are removed by phagocytosis. Acute hemolysis by fava bean ingestion in G6PD deficient individuals (favism) is described being the best-studied natural model of oxidant damage. It bears strong analogies to hemolysis by oxidant drugs or chemicals. Membrane alterations observed in vivo during favism are superimposable to changes in senescent RBCs. In summary, RBC membranes isolated from favic patients contained elevated amounts of complexes between IgG and the complement fragment C3b/C3c and were prone to vesiculation. Anti-band 3 IgG reacted to aggregated band 3-complement complexes. In favism extensive clustering of band 3 and membrane deposition of hemichromes were also observed. Severely damaged RBCs isolated from early crises had extensive membrane cross-bonding and very low GSH levels and were phagocytosed 10-fold more intensely compared to normal RBCs.

Background \ud \ud Stomatocytoses are a group of inherited autosomal dominant hemolytic anemias and include overhydrated hereditary stomatocytosis, dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis, hereditary cryohydrocytosis and familial pseudohyperkalemia. \ud \ud Design and Methods \ud \ud We report a novel variant of hereditary stomatocytosis clue to a de novo band 3 mutation (p. G796R-band3 CEINGE) associated with a dyserythropoietic phenotype. Band 3 genomic analysis, measurement at of hematologic parameters and red cell indices and morphological analysis of bone marrow were carried out. We then evaluated the red cell membrane permeability and ion transport systems by functional studies of the patients erythrocytes and Xenopus oocytes transfected with mutated band 3. We analyzed the red cell membrane tyrosine phosphorylation profile and the membrane association of the tyrosine kinases Syk and Lyn from the Src-family-kinase group, since the activity of the membrane cation transport pathways is related to cyclic phosphorylation-dephosphorylation events. \ud \ud Results \ud \ud The patient showed mild hemolytic anemia with circulating stomatocytes together with signs of dyserythropoiesis. Her red cells displayed increased Na(+) content with decreased K(+) content and abnormal membrane cation transport activities. Functional characterization of band 3 CEINGE in Xenopus oocytes showed that the mutated band 3 is converted from being an anion exchanger (Cl(-), HCO(3)(-)) to being a cation pathway for Na(+) and K(+). Increased tyrosine phosphorylation of some red cell membrane proteins was observed in diseased erythrocytes. Syk and Lyn membrane association was increased in the patient's red cells compared to in normal controls, indicating perturbation of phospho-signaling pathways involved in cell volume regulation events. \ud \ud Conclusions \ud \ud Band 3 CEINGE alters function from that of anion exchange to cation transport, affects the membrane tyrosine phosphorylation profile, in particular of band 3 and stomatin, and its presence during red cell development likely contributes to dyserythropiesis