Insulin degradation by human erythrocyte lysates.

In vitro hemolysates of isolated human erythrocytes degrade 125I-labeled insulin. Ten- to 100-fold dilutions of the hemolysate give a proportionately decreased degradation of 125I-labeled insulin at 37 degrees C, while dilutions of up to eightfold do not. Like the control, diluted "Buffer G" containing 5 mmol/L Tris and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid buffer alone, more than 500-fold dilutions of the hemolysate or boiled hemolysate (in buffer) caused negligible (less than 1%) degradation of the labeled insulin. We conclude that accurate insulin-binding data during erythrocyte insulin radioreceptor assay under optimum conditions (Clin. Chem. 23: 1590-1595, 1977) depend on avoiding or minimizing hemolysis.