Sickle Cells Modified by an Osmotic Pulse in the Presence of Inositol Hexaphosphate Have Decreased Intracellular Hemoglobin Concentration and Decreased in Vitro Sickling without Prolonged in Vivo Survival

An osmotic pulse was used to modify red blood cells (RBC) from two patients with sickle cell disease, resulting in an increased volume and decreased hemoglobin content. This treatment yielded cells which were divided into two populations, one in which RBC had markedly decreased hemoglobin concentration and another in which the cells appeared to be unmodified. Morphological sickling at low oxygen partial pressure was markedly decreased. However, there was no evidence for increased RBC lifespan when the 51Crlabeled, modified cells were reinfused.