In erythrocytes

In humans, thiamine is both actively and passively absorbed to a limited level in the intestines, is transported as the free vitamin, is then taken up in actively metabolizing tissues, and is converted to the phosphate esters via ubiquitous thiamine kinases. During thiamine deficiency all tissues stores are readily mobilhed. Because depletion of thiamine levels in erythrocytes parallels that of other tissues, erythrocyte thiamine levels ate used to quantitate severity of the deficiency. As deficiency progresses, thiamine becomes indetectable in the urine, the primary excretory route for this vitamin and its metaboHtes. Six major metaboHtes, of more than 20 total, have been characterized from human urine, including thiamine fragments (7,8), and the corresponding carboxyHc acids (1,37,38). 

Erythrocyte Entrapment of Enzymes. Erythrocytes have been used as carriers for therapeutic enzymes in the treatment of inborn errors (249). Exogenous enzymes encapsulated in erythrocytes may be useful both for dehvery of a given enzyme to the site of its intended function and for the degradation of pathologically elevated, diffusible substances in the plasma. In the use of this approach, it is important to determine that the enzyme is completely internalized without adsorption to the erythrocyte membrane. Since exposed protein on the erythrocyte surface may ehcit an immune response following repeated sensitization with enzyme loaded erythrocytes, an immunologic assessment of each potential system in animal models is required prior to human trials (250). 

Proteins that can flip phospholipids from one side of a bilayer to the other have also been identified in several tissues (Figure 9.11). Called flippases, these proteins reduce the half-time for phospholipid movement across a membrane from 10 days or more to a few minutes or less. Some of these systems may operate passively, with no required input of energy, but passive transport alone cannot establish or maintain asymmetric transverse lipid distributions. However, rapid phospholipid movement from one monolayer to the other occurs in an ATP-dependent manner in erythrocytes. Energy-dependent lipid flippase activity may be responsible for the creation and maintenance of transverse lipid asymmetries. 

Glucose Transport in Erythrocytes Occurs by Facilitated Diffusion... 

Steady-State Concentrations of Glycolytic Metabolites in Erythrocytes... 

Equation 3.12 in Chapter 3 and the data in Table 19.2 can be used to calculate a value for AG for the hexokiiiase, glucokiiiase reaction in erythrocytes ... 

Triose phosphate isomerase catalyzes the conversion of dihy-droxyacetone-P to glyceraldehyde-3-P. The standard free energy change, AG°, for this reaction is +7.6 kj/mol. However, the observed free energy change (AG) for this reaction in erythrocytes is +2.4 kj/mol. 

The FAD-dependent enzyme glutathione reductase plays a role in the antioxidant system. Glutathione reductase restores reduced glutathione (GSH), the most important antioxidant in erythrocytes, from oxidized glutathione (GSSG) [1, 2]. 

Proteins closely related to spectrin and ankyrin and many of the associated proteins first identified in erythrocytes also are prevalent in most vertebrate tissues. In these other tissues, spectrin and ankyrin and their associated proteins interact with proteins that may not be expressed in erythrocytes, including ion channel... 

Reductions in erythrocyte and plasma cholinesterase levels are considered biomarkers of neurological effects and not hematological effects as discussed in Sections 3.2.2.4 and 3.5.2. 

A dose-response relationship was noted in dogs exposed to 0.03, 0.3, or 3.0 mg/kg/day methyl parathion in the diet for 13 weeks (Daly 1989). Significant reductions in erythrocyte cholinesterase activity (20-23%) and cholinesterase activity in the pons and cerebellum of the brain (43-54%) occurred in dogs... 

Acetylcholinesterase contained in erythrocytes is identical to that found in the nervous system. Its function within erythrocytes may be to control permeability of the cell membrane, to an extent. 

Functional neurological changes due to acute organophosphate exposure generally correlate with acetylcholinesterase inhibition in erythrocytes (Wills 1972). 

The susceptibilities of some of these fluorinated purine nucleosides to the action of enzymes are now described. In contrast to the inertness of the 2 -deoxy-2 -fluoro- and 3 -deoxy-3 -fluorocytidine analogs 739, 744, and 821 towards cytidine deaminase, the adenosine compounds 867, 883, and 906 are readily deaminated - by the adenosine deaminase in erythrocytes and calf intestine, but the resulting (deaminated) inosine compounds (from 867 and 883), as well as 888, are highly resistant - to cleavage by purine nucleoside phosphorylase (to give hypoxanthine base for the first two). The reason was discussed. Both 867 and 883 can form the 5 -triphosphates, without deamination, in human erythrocytes or murine sarcoma cells in the presence of 2 -deoxycoformycin, an adenosine deaminase inhibitor, but... 

Hemoglobin carbamates account for about 15% of the CO2 in venous blood. Much of the remaining COj is carried as bicarbonate, which is formed in erythrocytes by the hydration of COj to carbonic acid (H2CO3), a process catalyzed by carbonic anhydrase. At the pH of venous blood, HjCOj dissociates into bicarbonate and a proton. 

A low PO2 in peripheral tissues promotes the synthesis in erythrocytes of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (BPG) from the glycolytic intermediate 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. 

Figure 17-1. Summary of glycolysis. 0, blocked by anaerobic conditions or by absence of mitochondria containing key respiratory enzymes, eg, as in erythrocytes.

This is true of skeletal muscle, particularly the white fibers, where the rate of work output—and therefore the need for ATP formation—may exceed the rate at which oxygen can be taken up and utilized. Glycolysis in erythrocytes, even under aerobic conditions, always terminates in lactate, because the subsequent reactions of pymvate are mitochondrial, and erythrocytes lack mitochondria. Other tissues that normally derive much of their energy from glycolysis and produce lactate include brain, gastrointestinal tract, renal medulla, retina, and skin. The liver, kidneys, and heart usually take up... 

In Erythrocytes, the First Site in Glycolysis for ATP Generation May Be Bypassed... 

Inherited aldolase A deficiency and pyruvate kinase deficiency in erythrocytes cause hemolytic anemia. The exercise capacity of patients with muscle phos-phofiaictokinase deficiency is low, particularly on high-carbohydrate diets. By providing an alternative lipid fuel, eg, during starvation, when blood free fatty acids and ketone bodies are increased, work capacity is improved. 

Lactate is the end product of glycolysis under anaerobic conditions (eg, in exercising muscle) or when the metabolic machinery is absent for the further oxidation of pyruvate (eg, in erythrocytes). 

In erythrocytes, the first site in glycolysis for generation of ATP may be bypassed, leading to the formation of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, which is important in decreasing the affinity of hemoglobin for Oj. 

In erythrocytes, the pathway has a major function in preventing hemolysis by providing NADPH to maintain glutathione in the reduced state as the substrate for glutathione peroxidase. 

The activation of apo-transketolase(the enzyme protein) in erythrocyte lysate by thiamin diphosphate added in vitro has become the accepted index of thiamin nutritional status. 

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