Time-dependent changes of white blood cell apoptosis under room temperature conservancy and its molecular mechanism

Objective To study the roles of Bcl 2 and Bax in the time dependent changes of leukocyte apoptosis under room temperature conservancy. Methods Flow cytometry and Annexin V FITC PI double label staining were used to detect apoptosis, and Western blot was employed to determine the protein expressions of Bcl 2 and Bax. Results The percentage of apoptotic cells increased gradually since the 1st h and reached a peak at 24 h, but decreased at 72 h. The number of apoptotic cells increased in a time dependent manner. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of Bax increased gradually during the period of 1～24 h and decreased at 72 h, but the expression of Bcl 2 decreased during 1～72 h. Conclusion The number of living cells conserved at room temperature decreased in a time dependent manner. Bcl 2 and Bax may play an important role in the regulatory mechanism in leukocyte apoptosis. Leukocytes conserved for 1～3 h may be suitable for clinical application.