Decrease of carbohydrate in membrane glycoproteins during human erythrocyte ageing in vivo

Membrane glycoproteins from young human erythrocytes and erythrocytes aged in vivo were fractionated by gel filtration. Three major groups of glycoproteins were obtained. The neutral hexoses and sialic acid contents of each group of glycoproteins from the old cells were found to be significantly reduced by comparison to the values found in the glycoproteins of the young cells. Thus, the previously observed decrease in neutral hexoses and in sialic acid contents of the full erythrocyte membrane during in vivo ageing does not affect only one particular group of glycoproteins but each of the groups of glycoproteins tested, including the major glycoproteins of the erythrocyte membrane, that is to say glycophorins. It is shown in addition, that the previously observed decrease per cell of the surface galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine residues of the ageing erythrocyte affect several groups of membrane glycoproteins including band 3, PAS-1, PAS-4 and PAS-3. The physiological significance of these experimental data is discussed.