Evidence for oxidative damage to red blood cells in mice induced by arsine gas

In animals and human beings exposed to arsine gas (AsH3) a severe and fulminant lysis of erythrocytes occurs. Little is known about the effects of subchronic exposure on the hematopoietic system or about the mechanism of hemolysis produced by arsine gas. To examine these, we exposed male and female mice to 0.000, 0.025, 0.500 and 2.500 ppm arsine gas for 6 h a day, 5 days a week during a 90-day period. After 5, 15, and 90 days of exposure, blood was collected and routine hematologic profiles were performed to document the effects of arsine gas on peripheral blood. A moderate hemolytic anemia, indicated by decreases in erythrocyte counts, hematocrits, hemoglobin concentrations and increases in mean corpuscular hemoglobins and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations, was seen in blood samples collected after 5 days of exposure. In blood collected after 15 and 90 days of exposure, the anemia was less severe but a greater increase in mean corpuscular volumes and absolute reticulocyte counts revealed an active regenerative response. Higher concentrations of methemoglobin in animals in the 2.500 ppm exposure group (measured after 90 days of exposure) indicated that the rate of oxidation of heme (ferrous to ferric) increased due to exposure to arsine gas. Additionally, the presence of Heinz bodies in blood smears stained with brilliant cresyl blue and decreases in reduced glutathione concentrations in red blood cells exposed to arsine gas in vitro provide evidence that the mechanism of hemolysis involves depletion of intracellular reduced glutathione resulting in an oxidation of sulfhydryl groups in hemoglobin and possibly red cell membranes.