Hemolysis by chrysotile asbestos fibers. I. influence of the sialic acid content in human, rat, and sheep red blood cell membranes

Abstract

Complete removal of accessible sialic acids from human, rat, and sheep red cell membranes does not inhibit the hemolytic properties of chrysotile asbestos fibers. After 60 min of contact, the percentages of hemolysis are comparable between the treated and the nontreated groups. Nevertheless, with low concentrations of fibers the initial velocity of hemolysis of rat and sheep red blood cells is lower in the neuraminidase‐treated group. Although sialic acids are not essential for the expression of the hemolytic activity of asbestos, we suggest that these acids could play a role during the first seconds or minutes of the hemolytic process by increasing the electrostatic attraction between the red blood cell membranes and the fibers. However, it is clear that asbestos fibers provoke hemolysis by acting on some other cell membrane component(s).