Changes in biophysical properties and behavior of aging human erythrocytes treated with natural polyelectrolytes

Nikolay Kalaydzhiev; Elena Zlatareva; Dessislava Bogdanova; Svetozar Stoichev; Avgustina Danailova; Nikolay Kalaydzhiev; Elena Zlatareva; Dessislava Bogdanova; Svetozar Stoichev; Avgustina Danailova

doi:10.3934/biophy.2025002

AIMS Biophysics

2025, Volume 12, Issue 1: 14-28. doi: 10.3934/biophy.2025002

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Research article

Changes in biophysical properties and behavior of aging human erythrocytes treated with natural polyelectrolytes

1.
Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment in Neurology and Psychiatry “St. Naum”, “Louben Roussev” Str. 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
2.
Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, “Acad. G. Bonchev” Str. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

Received: 27 October 2024 Revised: 25 November 2024 Accepted: 12 December 2024 Published: 20 December 2024

Performing their functions as transporters of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body, human erythrocytes constantly circulate and are exposed to the constant influence of various substances, including nutrients, drugs, medical devices covered with coatings, etc. Therefore, we aim to investigate the biophysical behavior of erythrocytes obtained from healthy volunteers to observe their morphological type changes, alterations in the zeta potential, the electrical conductivity of the erythrocytes in suspensions, and hemolysis in percentages during cells senescence, both in presence and in absence of natural polyelectrolytes pectin (PE) and chitosan (Chi) in form of multilayer films (PEM-films). Being constructed using the layer–by–layer technique, films are an object of interest of many researchers because of their high potential to be incorporated in biomedicine. By applying optical profilometry, electrophoretic light scattering, and spectrophotometry, we tested the polyelectrolytes for any potential harm on the erythrocytes. Based on our results and the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical analysis, we reached the conclusion that the above-mentioned polyelectrolytes were harmlessness; therefore, PE and Chi are suitable substances to implement in the clinical practice in the form of drug delivery carriers and medical devices coatings, thereby directly contacting with the human blood.
- human erythrocytes,
- erythrocytes senescence,
- pectin,
- chitosan
Citation: Nikolay Kalaydzhiev, Elena Zlatareva, Dessislava Bogdanova, Svetozar Stoichev, Avgustina Danailova. Changes in biophysical properties and behavior of aging human erythrocytes treated with natural polyelectrolytes[J]. AIMS Biophysics, 2025, 12(1): 14-28. doi: 10.3934/biophy.2025002

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Abstract

Performing their functions as transporters of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body, human erythrocytes constantly circulate and are exposed to the constant influence of various substances, including nutrients, drugs, medical devices covered with coatings, etc. Therefore, we aim to investigate the biophysical behavior of erythrocytes obtained from healthy volunteers to observe their morphological type changes, alterations in the zeta potential, the electrical conductivity of the erythrocytes in suspensions, and hemolysis in percentages during cells senescence, both in presence and in absence of natural polyelectrolytes pectin (PE) and chitosan (Chi) in form of multilayer films (PEM-films). Being constructed using the layer–by–layer technique, films are an object of interest of many researchers because of their high potential to be incorporated in biomedicine. By applying optical profilometry, electrophoretic light scattering, and spectrophotometry, we tested the polyelectrolytes for any potential harm on the erythrocytes. Based on our results and the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical analysis, we reached the conclusion that the above-mentioned polyelectrolytes were harmlessness; therefore, PE and Chi are suitable substances to implement in the clinical practice in the form of drug delivery carriers and medical devices coatings, thereby directly contacting with the human blood.

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by National Science Fund, Grant КП-06-М63/7, Competition for financial support for basic research projects of young scientists and postdoctoral fellows–2022. Research equipment of Distributed Research Infrastructure INFRAMAT, part of Bulgarian National Roadmap for Research Infrastructures, supported by Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science was used in this investigation. The authors thank the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science for the support provided via the “National Center for Biomedical Photonics” D01-352/2023 (Zetasizer Nano ZS analyzer), part of the Bulgarian National Roadmap for Scientific Infrastructures 2020 – 2027.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author contributions

Conceptualization, A.D. and N.K.; methodology, A.D. N.K., E.Z., D.B and S.S.; software, S.S.; validation, A.D., S.S. and N.K..; formal analysis, A.D.; investigation, A.D. and S.S.; resources, N.K., E.Z., D.B.; data curation, A.D. and S.S.; writing–original draft preparation, A.D.; writing—review and editing, A.D. and N.K.; visualization, S.S.; supervision, A.D.; project administration, A.D.; funding acquisition, A.D. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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