The effect of vitamin E deficiency on some erythrocyte membrane properties.

The erythrocytes from the vitamin E-deficient rats showed no changes in comparison with the erythrocytes from the vitamin E-supplemented rats in lipid peroxides, membrane fluidity, lipid composition, and activities of defensive enzymes against the lipid peroxide formation. Once erythrocytes from vitamin E-deficient rats were exposed to H2O2, the erythrocyte membrane fluidity was significantly reduced, which was presumed to be accompanied by an increase in the hemolysis and lipid peroxide formation. Large decreases in arachidonic acid and phospholipid were also observed. These findings suggest that the reduced membrane fluidity is due to the loss of phospholipid from the erythrocytes, and raises the possibility that the reduced fluidity might contribute to the peroxidative hemolysis of the vitamin E-deficient rat erythrocytes.