Red blood cells can be manipulated to play a bigger role in wound healing
3DMEDISPHERE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Researchers have found that a simple modification to the cells that transport oxygen throughout the body can halt severe bleeding almost instantly. In experiments with rats, when applied to significant liver wounds, clots formed within 5 seconds, resulting in minimal blood loss. This innovative approach holds the potential to assist individuals undergoing both planned and emergency surgeries.
Blood loss is responsible for approximately 2 million deaths worldwide annually, with the risk increasing with each passing minute of bleeding. While minor bleeding generally clots fast, more severe cases may need costly and quickly-delivered transfusions. Bandages, on the other hand, can sometimes provoke immune responses or hinder healing.
Red blood cells, primarily responsible for transporting oxygen, also work with platelets—cell fragments that prevent bleeding—to form a sticky mesh that seals injuries. Although red blood cells are a major component of this mesh, they are fragile. This led Jianyu Li from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and his team to explore ways to reinforce them. “We saw and used the elephant in the room,” Li remarked.
Initially, the researchers collected blood from rats and separated its cellular elements. They introduced chemicals that act as handles: one end attaches randomly to proteins on red blood cells, and the other connects with a long-chain molecule that binds cells together, which was also added to the mixture.
Subsequently, these altered cells were reintegrated into the plasma, the liquid segment of the blood, and injected into the rats’ severe liver wounds. The wounds began clotting in less than 5 seconds, compared to 265 seconds in untreated rats. The treated rats experienced a blood loss of only 24 milligrams, in contrast to almost 2000 milligrams in the untreated group.
Unlike natural clots, which dissolve in days, these lasted between one and two months. Li suggests this could provide more time for wound-healing molecules to work, and no safety concerns were observed during this period.
“This work is exciting as it introduces a new design method for cell-based biomaterials for surgical and regenerative applications,” stated Hyunwoo Yuk, founder of SanaHeal, a company focused on bioadhesive technologies in Boston, Massachusetts.
Looking ahead, the researchers aim for a method where a small blood sample from a patient could be collected and modified within 30 minutes before a scheduled surgery. For emergencies, the treatment could be pre-prepared from blood bank samples and stored for up to a month. However, Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu at the University of British Columbia, Canada, points out that existing treatments have a longer storage life. “One challenge could be the shorter shelf life of such cellular materials, unlike synthetic materials,” he noted.
Li mentioned that his team has filed for a patent and plans to conduct further research.
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