Influence of mouse age and erythrocyte age on glutathione metabolism

In order to determine whether the biological age of a mouse influences erythrocyte metabolism and erythrocyte aging in vivo, blood samples were collected from male C57/BL6J mice of different biological ages ranging from mature (10 months) to "very old" (37 months). In the very old mouse, compared with the mature mouse, the erythrocyte survival time was decreased, erythrocyte densities were increased, the concentrations of total free thiol and reduced glutathione, and glutathione reductase activity were decreased. Erythrocytes were separated into different density (age) groups by phthalate ester two-phase centrifugation or by albumin density-gradient centrifugation. The density-age relationship of erythrocytes was established by pulse-labelling with 59Fe in vivo and by subsequent determinations of specific radioactivity of erythrocyte fractions of different densities prepared during a chase period of 60 days. The age of erythrocytes in mice of all ages was directly related to density. Also, in older erythrocytes compared with younger erythrocytes, decreased concentrations of total free thiol and reduced glutathione, and decreased glutathione reductase activity were observed. These were the lowest in the old erythrocytes of very old mice. These results in aging erythrocytes from aging mice suggest that the glutathione status the erythrocyte may be an index of aging, not only of the cell but also of the organism.