[Aspects of the decrease of some enzyme activities in erythrocytes of subjects with beta-thalassemia]

G6PD, GSH-Px and 6PGD activity was found to be elevated in beta-thalassemia heterozygous erythrocytes. Estimates of the activities of the three enzymes in red cell fractions of differing mean age separated by centrifugation through a density gradient of Ficoll-Triosil layers, showed that the rate of in vivo decline was normal for G6PD and GSH-Px, and decreased for 6PGD. The increased enzyme activity results from increased rate of synthesis for G6PD and GSH-Px, and from higher in vivo stability for 6PGD.