Objective: To investigate the relationship between monocyte apoptosis and mitochondria function in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
Methods: Fluorescein labeled Annexin-V was used to detect the phosphatidyserine (PS) of apoptosis cells, and mitochondrial transmembrane potential was studied by 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide, Di0C6(3), and analyzed by flow cytometry. Swelling of mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) was recorded by spectrophotometer.
Results: Spontaneous apoptosis of cultured monocytes increased at 24, 72 hours in HD patients (41.4 +/- 12.2)%, (22.0 +/- 3.0)% as compared with controls (20.6 +/- 8.8)%, (9.8 +/- 2.1)%. Freshly isolated monocytes in HD patients had little apoptosis, but mitochondrial transmembrane potential was reduced to half of disruption (43 +/- 9)%. As to swelling of PT, those freshly isolated monocytes mitochondria in HD patients experienced overwhelming opening of PT, (80 +/- 5.6)%.
Conclusion: Swelling of PT and breakdown of mitochondrial transmembrane potential constitute the early events of monocytes apoptosis in HD patients, which could contribute to the impaired monocytes function.