Erythrocyte membrane lysophospholipase activity in muscular dystrophy.

The membrane lysophospholipase activity of erythrocytes obtained from Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients was lower than that of erythrocytes from age-matched normal boys. On the other hand, the membrane enzyme activity of erythrocytes from myotonic dystrophy patients was not different from that of their age- and sex-matched controls. Dipyridamole (0.1 mM) and glycerol 3-phosphorylcholine (2 mM) had no significant effect on these enzyme activities. These results suggest that membrane lysophospholipid metabolism may be altered in Duchenne muscular dystrophy but not in myotonic dystrophy.