Detection of erythrocytes in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia using atomic force microscopy

Abstract

The pathological changes of erythrocytes are detected at the nanometer scale, which is important for revealing the onset of diseases and diagnosis. The aim of this study is to examine the ultrastructural changes of erythrocytes in Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) at a nanometer scale. Blood samples were collected from two healthy volunteers, two WM patients, and three multiple myeloma (MM) patients when they were first diagnosed. The changes of morphology in the erythrocytes were studied at the nanometer level by high-resolution atomic force microscopy imaging (AFM). Compared with the healthy controls and the MM patients, there were dramatic deformations in the overall shape and surface membrane of the erythrocytes in WM patients. Healthy, pathological WM, and MM erythrocytes could be distinguished by several morphological parameters, including the width, length, length-to-width ratio, valley, peak, peak-to-valley, and R a . AFM is able to detect the morphological differences in the red blood cells from WM patients, healthy controls, and MM patients. Therefore, the erythrocyte morphology is an important parameter for the diagnosis of WM, which can be used to distinguish WM from MM. The changes of ultrastructure in red blood cells may provide a clue to reveal the mechanism of WM.

Smoking Induced Hemolysis: Spectral and microscopic investigations

“…Recent studies have reported similar changes in the shape of RBCs of the smokers group using the SEM 15 16 17 . Under abnormal physiological conditions, various endogenous or exogenous factors may transform the shape of RBCs, affecting their ability to function.…”

“…It may be worthwhile to compare the spectral features of blood components of patients with thalassemia and sickle cell diseases. In these inherited blood disorders, the concentration of metabolites were six or eight folds higher compared to that of the control group 15 16 17 . In other words, the reduced life span of erythrocytes is due to the inherited blood disorders in the case of thalassemia but acquired lifestyle in the case of smoking.…”

“…In comparison to the scanning electron microscope (SEM), AFM can provide a three-dimensional surface profile. In short, AFM is one of the cutting-edge techniques for imaging and measuring at micro and nanometer scale 15 16 17 .…”

Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Human Erythrocytes: Atomic Force Microscopy and Spectral Investigations

“…The up and down movement of the cantilever as it walks through the ups and downs of the uneven surface, in a range of a few nanometers, is captured by a laser that is reflected off the head of the cantilever. In comparison to SEM, AFM can provide a 3D image of the surface profile [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

Morphometric and Nanomechanical Screening of Peripheral Blood Cells with Atomic Force Microscopy for Label-Free Assessment of Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

“…For example, AFM images revealed characteristic circular-shaped holes on the surface of RBCs from systemic lupus erythematosus patients [ 234 ]. RBC morphological parameters (width, length, length to width ratio, valley, peak, valley-to-peak, and surface fluctuation) have been shown to distinguish multiple myeloma (MM) and Waldenström macroglobulinemia from healthy cells and to be useful to follow the effect of disease treatment [ 237 , 238 ]. RBCs from MM patients were extremely deformed and had a macrocytic and canthocytic shape compared with the biconcave healthy shape [ 237 ].…”