Association of Resistin with Impaired Membrane Fluidity of Red Blood Cells in Hypertensive and Normotensive Men: an Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Study

Abnormalities in physical properties of the cell membranes may strongly be linked to hypertension. Recent evidence indicates that resistin may actively participate in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and other circulatory disorders. The present study was undertaken to investigate the possible relationships among plasma resistin, oxidative stress and membrane fluidity (a reciprocal value of membrane microviscosity) in hypertension. We measured the membrane fluidity of red blood cells (RBCs) in hypertensive and normotensive men using an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and spin-labeling method. The order parameter (S) for the spin-label agents (5-nitroxide stearate) in EPR spectra of red blood cell (RBC) membranes was significantly higher in hypertensive men than in normotensive men, indicating that membrane fluidity was decreased in hypertension. Plasma resistin levels were correlated with systolic blood pressure and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α levels (an index of oxidative stress). Furthermore, the order parameter (S) of RBCs significantly correlated with plasma resistin and plasma 8-isoPG F2α, suggesting that reduced membrane fluidity of RBCs might be associated with hyperresistinemia and increased oxidative stress. Multivariate regression analysis showed that, after adjustment for confounding factors, plasma resistin might be an independent determinant of membrane fluidity of RBCs. The EPR study suggests that resistin might have a close correlation with impaired rheologic behavior of RBCs and microcirculatory dysfunction in hypertension, at least in part, via an oxidative stress-dependent mechanism.