Abstract
Abstract
Background
Blood storage is associated with progressive biochemical and cellular changes that may alter the concentrations of soluble adhesion molecules. Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and P-selectin (SELP) are important mediators of inflammation and endothelial function, but data on their stability in CPDA-1-stored whole blood remain scarce in our locality.
Methods
This longitudinal study included 40 healthy voluntary blood donors attending Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. All donors were screened and confirmed negative for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, and syphilis before blood collection. Whole blood was collected into Citrate Phosphate Dextrose Adenine-1 (CPDA-1) blood bags and stored under standard blood bank conditions. Serum concentrations of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and P-selectin were determined on Days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 of storage using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results
Serum concentrations of VCAM-1, P-selectin, and ICAM-1 declined progressively during storage. Significant reductions were observed from Day 1 through Day 22 for all three adhesion molecules (p < 0.0001). Across the ABO blood groups, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 concentrations were highest in blood group A and lowest in blood group O, whereas P-selectin concentrations were highest in blood group AB and lowest in blood group O. Correlation analysis demonstrated a weak, non-significant positive relationship between VCAM-1 and P-selectin (r = 0.294, p = 0.208), while VCAM-1 showed a strong and statistically significant positive correlation with ICAM-1 (r = 0.888, p = 0.001).
Conclusion
These results suggest that prolonged storage of whole blood down regulates adhesion molecules, potentially impacting the functional and haemostatic properties of stored blood, which may influence its clinical efficacy and inflammatory response upon transfusion.