Implementation of a red blood cell-optical (RBO) channel for detection of latent iron deficiency anaemia by automated measurement of autofluorescence-emitting red blood cells

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 15605
• Main Authors: Tougan, Takahiro, Itagaki, Sawako, Toya, Yuji, Uchihashi, Kinya, Horii, Toshihiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 24.09.2020
• Subjects: 631/326/417/2546; 692/699/1541; 692/699/255; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - diagnosis; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - etiology; Animals; Automation; Diet - adverse effects; Erythrocyte Count; Erythrocytes - parasitology; Erythrocytes - pathology; Female; Hematologic Tests - instrumentation; Hematologic Tests - methods; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Malaria - complications; Malaria - parasitology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; multidisciplinary; Optical Imaging; Plasmodium falciparum - isolation & purification; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72382-z

Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder worldwide. The automated haematology analyser XN-30 (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan) was developed to detect malaria-infected red blood cells (RBCs) in human blood samples using flow cytometry. The optical system of the analyser detects autofluorescence (AF)-emitting RBCs containing iron-deficient haem groups and would aid in the diagnosis of anaemia resulting from iron deficiency. Here, an RBC-optical (RBO) channel was devised and implemented on the analyser. In vitro analyses showed that the analyser detected AF-emitting RBCs treated with 5-aminolevulinic acid. Furthermore, the analyser detected AF-emitting RBCs in mice fed a low iron diet and infected with a rodent malaria parasite; it could also be effectively used in humans. This study demonstrates that the analyser can quantitatively and reproducibly detect AF-emitting RBCs and measure other haematological parameters, suggesting its usefulness for the initial evaluation of latent iron deficiency anaemia in conjunction with the diagnosis of malaria.