Related Experiment Videos
G-6-PD activity of the red cells in chronic renal failure
Insights
Patients with chronic renal failure exhibit higher erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activity. This elevated enzyme activity in red blood cells persists even after hemodialysis and correlates negatively with hematocrit.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Nephrology
- Hematology
Background:
- Chronic renal failure (CRF) affects various physiological processes.
- Erythrocyte enzyme activity can be altered in metabolic disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activity in erythrocytes of patients with CRF.
- To explore the relationship between G-6-PD activity, hematocrit, and red blood cell age in CRF.
Main Methods:
- Assessed erythrocyte G-6-PD activity in 75 CRF patients and 74 healthy controls.
- Analyzed G-6-PD levels during hemodialysis.
- Separated red blood cells by age using centrifugation.
- Correlated G-6-PD activity with hematocrit.
Main Results:
- Mean erythrocyte G-6-PD activity was significantly higher in CRF patients compared to controls.
- G-6-PD activity remained elevated post-hemodialysis.
- A significant negative correlation was observed between red cell G-6-PD and hematocrit.
- G-6-PD activity was higher across all red blood cell age fractions in CRF patients, particularly in younger cells.
Conclusions:
- Elevated erythrocyte G-6-PD in CRF may indicate an increased proportion of young red blood cells.
- An intrinsic metabolic abnormality in uraemic red blood cells is a potential alternative explanation for increased G-6-PD activity.
Abstract:
The G-6-PD activity of erythrocytes was studied in 75 patients with chronic renal failure and 74 normal subjects. The mean value of G-6-PD was higher in the chronic renal failure group and the difference was highly significant. During haemodialysis the G-6-PD activity did not return to normal but was further elevated, though the increase was not statistically significant. A highly significant negative correlation was found between red cell G-6-PD and haematocrit. After separation of the red cells according to age by centrifugation, G-6-PD was highest in the top (young cells) and lowest in the bottom (old) cells, both in normals and uraemic patients. The enzyme activity was higher at all levels in the uraemic subjects, significantly in the top and middle layers. Although our findings may be due to an increased proportion of young erythrocytes in uraemia there are objections to this explanation; the alternative possibility of a life-long metabolic abnormality in uraemic red cells deserves careful consideration.