Distribution of Proteins in Erythrocyte Membranes from Patients with Hypertension

Abstract

The distribution of characteristic proteins in erythrocyte membranes was studied in patients with essential hypertension (EH) (n = 44), secondary hypertension of renal genesis (n = 42), and healthy persons (n = 44). Densitograms of gels analyzed after electrophoresis of erythrocyte ghosts showed a twofold increase in the amount of band 4.5 (Mw = 52-59 kD) and band 6 (Mw = 35 kD) polypeptides in EH patients as compared to that in healthy persons. Radioimmunoassay with monoclonal antibodies obtained to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of heart muscle has demonstrated that the amount of the antibodies bound to fragmented erythrocyte membranes from EH persons is greater by at least 28% than that in healthy people. Patients with secondary arterial hypertension of renal genesis did not reveal a significant difference in binding of monoclonal antibodies as compared to the control group. Thus, erythrocyte membranes from EH subjects are different from those taken from the blood of healthy people by the increased amount of bands 4.5 and 6 proteins.