Chronic cigarette smoking alters erythrocyte membrane lipid composition and properties in male human volunteers

Cigarette smoking is a major lifestyle factor influencing the health of human beings. The present study investigates smoking induced alterations on the erythrocyte membrane lipid composition, fluidity and the role of nitric oxide. Thirty experimental and control subjects (age 35 ± 8) were selected for the study. Experimental subjects smoke 12 ± 2 cigarettes per day for 7–10 years. In smokers elevated nitrite/nitrate levels in plasma and red cell lysates were observed. Smokers showed increased hemolysis, erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, C/P ratio (cholesterol and phospholipid ratio), anisotropic (γ) value with decreased Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity and sulfhydryl groups. Alterations in smokers erythrocyte membrane individual phospholipids were also evident from the study. Red cell lysate nitric oxide positively correlated with C/P ratio (r = 0.565) and fluorescent anisotropic (γ) value (r = 0.386) in smokers. Smoking induced generation of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species might have altered erythrocyte membrane physico-chemical properties.