Investigation of the lipid content of normal and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient red cells

Abstract

1. 1. Normal and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase ( d-glucose-6-phosphate: NADP oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49) deficient red cells have been compared in regard to their lipid content and its stability during incubation with hemolytic compounds. 2. 2. In fresh samples no significant differences in cholesterol or total lipid phosphorus were detected between the two kinds of red cells. Slight differences were detected in the composition of phosphatides. The mean sphingomyelin content was lower, and phosphatidylserine content higher, in the enzyme-deficient than in the normal cells. The differences were statistically significant at the 5% level in a material consisting of about 20 normal and 20 enzyme-deficient blood samples. However, most of the single values fell within overlapping regions, not permitting individual differentiation between the two kinds of cells. 3. 3. Incubation with nitrofurantoin or acetylphenylhydrazine did not lead to any alterations in the cholesterol or total lipid phosphorus. On the other hand such incubation resulted in a significant decrease of phosphatidylserine and increase of phosphatidylethanolamine in the majority of the enzyme-deficient red cell samples. The possible mechanisms and significance of these changes are discussed.