Sakai H, Okuda N, Sato A, Yamaue T, Takeoka S, Tsuchida E. Hemoglobin encapsulation in vesicles retards NO and CO binding and O2 release when perfused through narrow gas-permeable tubes. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 298: H956 -H965, 2010. First published December 31, 2009 doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00741.2009.-Intravenous administration of cell-free Hb induces vasoconstriction and circulatory disorders, presumably because of the intrinsic affinities to endogenous nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) as vasorelaxation factors and because of the facilitated O2 release that might induce autoregulatory vasoconstriction. We examined these gas reactions when Hb-containing solutions of four kinds were perfused through artificial narrow tubes at a practical Hb concentration (10 g/dl). Purified Hb solution, polymerized bovine Hb (Poly BHb), encapsulated Hb [Hb-vesicles (HbV), 279 nm], and red blood cells (RBCs) were perfused through a gas-permeable narrow tube (25 m inner diameter) at 1 mm/s centerline velocity. The level of reactions was determined microscopically based on the visible-light absorption spectrum of Hb. When the tube was immersed in NO and CO atmospheres, both NO binding and CO binding of deoxygenated Hb (deoxy-Hb) and PolyBHb in the tube was faster than those of HbV and RBCs, and HbV and RBCs showed almost identical binding rates. When the tube was immersed in a N2 atmosphere, oxygenated Hb and PolyBHb showed much faster O 2 release than did HbV and RBCs. PolyBHb showed a faster reaction than Hb because of the lower O2 affinity of PolyBHb than Hb. The diffusion process of the particles was simulated using Navier-Stokes and Maxwell-Stefan equations. Results clarified that small Hb (6 nm) diffuses laterally and mixes rapidly. However, the large-dimension HbV shows no such rapid diffusion. The purely physicochemical differences in diffusivity of the particles and the resulting reactivity with gas molecules are one factor inducing biological vasoconstriction of Hb-based oxygen carriers. microcirculation; blood substitutes; gas biology; liposome; erythrocytes CELL-FREE, HEMOGLOBIN-BASED oxygen carriers (HBOCs) have been developed for use as transfusion alternatives. Some examples are intramolecular cross-linked Hb, polymerized Hb, and polyethylene glycol conjugated Hbs (5). The realization of HBOCs has long been anticipated, because they are free of pathogens and blood-type antigens and are storable for a long time for using at emergency situations. Some are in the final stage of clinical trials (23). The major remaining hurdle before clinical approval of this earliest generation of HBOCs is vasoconstriction and resulting hypertension, which are presumably attributable to the high reactivity of Hb with endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) (26,28,55). It has been suggested that small molecular Hbs permeate across the endothelial cell layer to the space near by the smooth muscle and inactivate NO. However, cellular Hb-vesicles (HbV) that encapsulate concentrated Hb solution in phospholipid vesicles (37) ind...