This study investigates whether remodeling/enhancing the two vital proteins—hemoglobin and B3p—in erythrocytes with artificial interference can rejuvenate aged and damaged erythrocytes. Using Raman spectroscopy and SDS measurement, the study demonstrated that certain flavonoids, such as Hydroxysafflor Yellow A, could remodel/enhance the two proteins and restore their conformation, content, and distribution in aged erythrocytes within a few hours. As a result, it led to a restoration of nearly all cellular and molecular properties of old erythrocytes aged 90–120 days and cells stored under blood bank conditions for 21 days. The flavonoids could even recover erythrocytes of α/β-thalassemia. Moreover, pre-incubating the cells with flavonoids can prevent aging and damage caused by mechanical injury, hypoxic stress, acid-base imbalances, and storage lesions, with protective effects lasting for at least 21 days. In summary, this research reveals for the first time that remodeling hemoglobin and B3p with flavonoids is a promising intervention to enhance the longevity and resilience of erythrocytes against damage. It holds significant implications for biomedicine, including blood storage, the production of blood products, disease treatment, and high-altitude medicine related to hypoxic physiology.
Jiang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.