A novel approach to improve and increase the quality of stored blood

Work done in the lab of Prof. Praveen Kumar Vemula at InStem (Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine), Bengaluru

About author

Subhashini Pandey is a graduate student at Dr. Praveen Kumar Vemula’s Lab in InStem (Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine), Bengaluru. She has completed her M. Tech in Chemical Engineering from Dr. B.R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar. For her Master’s dissertation, she joined Dr. Vemula Lab and has been working in his lab since then. Before working on the Blood project, she worked on the Pesticide Project, published in Science Advances (2018). She is currently completing her thesis. She is a licensed Zumba instructor and takes Dance fitness classes in her spare time. She is also a Chai lover and looks forward to having a good talk over tea.

Interview

How would you explain your research outcomes to the non-scientific community?

Transfusion of healthy red blood cells (RBCs) is a lifesaving process and the production of extracellular components known as DAMPs (Damage Associated Molecular Patterns) damages RBCs during storage. Despite insufficient blood donation, millions of blood units are discarded due to declining quality during storage. Although multiple methods have been found to increase the shelf life of stored blood, they have limited success. So far, studies have focussed on improving storage conditions through additives, rejuvenation solutions, and cryopreservation protocols. However, none of these approaches address the cause of the problem-the presence of extracellular components in the blood units. We have developed a novel method to scavenge/capture and remove the damage-causing extracellular components during blood storage to solve this clinical gap. Since these damage-causing agents are either positive or negatively charged species, the developed polymers were smartly designed to have an appropriate hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity balance and carry negative (due to taurine) or positive (due to acridine) charges. The charged moieties on the nanofibrous sheets were efficient in scavenging DAMPs from stored human RBCs. This reduced the damage in stored blood cells, improved their quality, and enhanced the shelf life of stored blood by about 25%.

Stored RBCs produce storage lesion or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as DNA, nucleosomes, heme (Hb), iron, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Transfusion of DAMPs containing RBCs could lead to transfusion-related complications, including systemic inflammation and organ injury. The presence of DAMPs progressively reduces the quality of stored RBCs and limits their shelf-life. All DAMPs consist of positive or negative charge entities. b.) Therefore, in our approach, we designed hemocompatible polymers poly-acridine and poly-taurine composed of complementary cationic and anionic charges, respectively. Using these polymers, charge-bearing electrospun nanofibrous sheets (Tau-NFS and Acr-NFS) were prepared to scavenge charged DAMPs from stored RBCs, which remarkably enhanced the quality and shelf-life of stored RBCs

How do these findings contribute to your research area?

We have demonstrated that by intermittently removing the DAMPs using our technology, the quality of maximally stored old blood has enhanced to as good as freshly collected blood. We believe that treating with nanofibrous scaffolds before the transfusion could prevent transfusion-related complexities and solve the problem of blood waste in our country. Besides, improving the shelf life of stored blood may be a boon for preserving rare blood groups.

“We have demonstrated that by intermittently removing the DAMPs using our technology, the quality of maximally stored old blood has enhanced to as good as freshly collected blood.”

What was the exciting moment during your research?

Though there were many exciting moments during my research, getting a combination of the best bio-materials that can efficiently scavenge extracellular components was the high point of our research. Another thrilling moment we had was when we discovered that periodic removal of the extracellular component could increase the shelf life of blood.

What do you hope to do next?

We plan to set up a start-up based on this technology and believe that the electrospun nanofibrous sheets may lead to the development of novel blood bags or an insert-based medical device. They will be feasible to use in the blood bank processing setting without the need for multiple interventions during the storage of RBCs. Therefore, it may significantly impact healthcare by improving RBC transfusion quality.

Where do you seek scientific inspiration from?

During my childhood, my mom always motivated me to seek answers to any scientific phenomena around me, making me a curious kid. During my Ph.D., my guide, Dr. Praveen Kumar Vemula, a science entrepreneur and a Principal scientist in InStem, Bengaluru, greatly impacted my scientific career. His idea to identify any prevailing clinical problem and his vision and passion for solving them has always motivated me as a budding researcher.

How do you intend to help Indian science improve?

I believe Indian science is getting recognized globally with the quality of published scientific work and various technologies getting clinically translated. However, national research institutes in our country are underutilized and under-sourced. There is a need to promote cooperation between academia and industry to increase investment in the nation’s science and technology sector. Given that India has vibrant talent, this effort is essential to tap into and invest in. I also believe that promoting problem-solving and critical thinking through STEM education at the school or college level will prepare students for future careers. In turn, this new approach will build an entrepreneurial ecosystem in India that promotes job creators - not job seekers.

Reference

Pandey, S., Mahato, M., Srinath, P. et al. Intermittent scavenging of storage lesion from stored red blood cells by electrospun nanofibrous sheets enhances their quality and shelf-life. Nat Commun 13, 7394 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35269-3

Copy Editor

Ritvi Shah

Postgraduate at Vikram Sarabhai Institute

Postgraduate at Vikram Sarabhai Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, Gujarat. She is a neuroscience enthusiast. Apart from that, she enjoys reading and trying her hand at sciart.

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