Improvement of the red blood cell O2 release capacity by lipid vesicle-mediated incorporation of inositol hexaphosphate.

Fusion of unilamellar lipid vesicles with red blood cells has been used to deliver entrapped inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) to the cells. Incorporated IHP tightly bound to hemoglobin produces a significant and lasting "right-shift" of the O2-binding curve of red blood cells. The O2 release capacity of red blood cells is increased by this method up to 270% of the normal value. The Bohr effect is increased so that carbon dioxide transport is also enhanced. The fine structure of the erythrocytes does not seem to be altered by the lipid vesicle incorporation.