Effect of perindopril therapy on fluidity and potential of erythrocyte membrane from individuals with coronary heart disease.

Erythrocyte membrane fluidity and membrane potential were measured in patients suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD) and treated with perindopril. Membrane fluidity was determined using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and membrane potential was evaluated using potential-sensitive fluorescent dyes. CHD does not change membrane fluidity at the depth of the 5 carbon in the fatty acid chain of membrane phospholipids. However the hydrophobic core of the membrane is altered in CHD. For 19 CHD patients, the correlation times τ B and τ C of a spin label 16DS were higher than for controls: τ B =(1.84±0.04)x10 -9 and τ C =(2.54±0.04)x10 -9 s vs. τ B =(1.62±0.06)x10 -9 s; and τ C =(2.24±0.07)x10 -9 s (results given as mean ± SEM). Such results indicate the increased microviscosity in hydrophobic regions of CHD erythrocyte membranes in comparison with controls. Perindopril therapy partly abolished these changes. The membrane potential of CHD red blood cells -17.89±1.36 mV was higher than the control value -9.83±0.59 mV. Perindopril treatment shifted the membrane potential value to -13.45±0.99 mV when measured after a single dose of the drug, or even depolarized the membrane after 7 days of therapy -4.95±0.73 mV. It is concluded that the erythrocyte membrane is more rigid and hyperpolarized in CHD, and perindopril therapy partly abolishes these changes as early as 3 h after administration.