N-acetylcysteine amide (AD4) attenuates oxidative stress in beta-thalassemia blood cells

Many aspects of the pathology in β-hemoglobinopathies (β-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia) are mediated by oxidative stress. In the present study we tested a novel thiol compound, N-acetylcysteine amide (AD4), the amide form of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) for its antioxidant effects. Using flow-cytometry, we showed that in vitro treatment of blood cells from β-thalassemic patients with AD4 elevated the reduced glutathione (GSH) content of red blood cells (RBC), platelets and polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes, and reduced their ROS. These effects resulted in a significant reduced sensitivity of thalassemic RBC to hemolysis and phagocytosis by macrophages. Intra-peritoneal injection of AD4 to β-thalassemic mice (150 mg/kg) reduced the parameters of oxidative stress (p < 0.001). Our results show the superiority of AD4, compared to NAC, in reducing oxidative stress markers in thalassemic cells both in vitro and in vivo.