A study of zinc distribution in erythrocytes of normal humans.

The assignment of zinc bound to carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes (CA-I and CA-II) and Cu2 Zn2 superoxide dismutase (SOD1) was investigated in the hemolysates from 21 normal male subjects. Sufficient care was taken to remove leukocytes and platelets. The following values of zinc distribution were obtained: total zinc, 113.8 +/- 22.7 (mean +/- S.E.) micrograms X 100 ml-1; CA-I-derived zinc, 866.6 +/- 26.2 micrograms X 100 ml-1; CA-II-derived zinc, 99.9 +/- 3.9 micrograms X 100 m-1; SOD1-derived zinc, 60.3 +/- 1.9 micrograms X 100 ml-1; the other zinc, 87.0 +/- 12.6 micrograms X 100 ml-1. Namely, 7.6% of the zinc in human erythrocytes is not bound to the carbonic anhydrases and Cu2Zn2 superoxide dismutase, but present in available form or attached to other enzymes.