The fatty acid composition of red cells deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and their susceptibility to lipid peroxidation.

Oxidant damage to red cell membranes could play a part in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic haemolysis in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Therefore, we studied the substrate for red cell membrane lipid peroxidation, i.e. the content of various polyunsaturated fatty acids in ghosts, and the susceptibility of red cells to lipid peroxidation in normal subjects and in subjects deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. The fatty acid composition of red cell membranes and plasma was analysed by capillary column gas chromatography. The sensitivity of red cells to lipid peroxidation was evaluated after hydrogen-peroxide-induced oxidant stress. The degree of lipid peroxidation was monitored by measuring the release of pentane and ethane formed during the breakdown of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. The red cell sensitivity to lipid peroxidation was found to be higher in subjects with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency than in normal subjects. In the former, saturated fatty acids, in particular palmitic and stearic acid, were found to be decreased, whereas the proportion of arachidonic acid showed a clear increase. Fatty acid analysis of plasma did not reveal significant abnormalities in enzyme-deficient patients, which could explain the alteration of membrane fatty acids. Our results suggest that the increased content of substrate for lipid peroxidation, particularly arachidonic acid, in red cell membranes of subjects deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, should be considered in an evaluation of an enhanced sensitivity to red cell lipid peroxidation.