Effect of substances with cryoprotective properties on surface marker CD44 in human erythrocytes.

In this study there were investigated the changes in surface marker CD44 in human erythrocytes exposed to cryoprotective media, as well as the impact of oxidative modification of membrane-cytoskeleton proteins on the CD44 characteristics under the changed physico-chemical parameters of the cellular environment. Glycerol, DMSO, sucrose, and PEG-1500 were shown to cause a decrease in CD44 expression level and amount of CD44-positive cells during prolonged exposure erythrocytes with them. That may reflect subtle adjustments in the system of protein-protein interactions in erythrocyte membrane-cytoskeleton complex, which may affect the stability of cells during cryopreservation. Extracellular substances (sucrose and PEG-1500) exhibited a more pronounced effect on the CD44 in erythrocytes in comparison with the examined substances of endocellular type. Modification of membrane-cytoskeleton proteins with oxidizing bifunctional reagent diamide enhanced the identified tendencies.