Metabolome Changes during In Vivo Red Cell Aging Reveal Disruption of Key Metabolic Pathways
Neema Jamshidi, Xiuling Xu, Katharina von Löhneysen, Katrin Soldau, Rob Mohney, Edward D. Karoly, Mike Scott, Jeffrey S. Friedman
Abstract
RBC aging, labeled cell populations were purified at intervals and assessed for abundance of metabolic intermediates using mass spectrometry. A total of 167 metabolites were profiled and quantified from cell populations of defined ages. Older RBCs maintained ATP and redox charge states at the cost of altered activity of enzymatic pathways. Time-dependent changes were identified in metabolites related to maintenance of the redox state and membrane structure. These findings illuminate the differential metabolic pathway usage associated with normal cellular aging and identify potential biomarkers to determine average RBC age and rates of RBC turnover from a single blood sample.