Coenzyme Studies in Primaquine-Sensitive Erythrocytes.

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Abstract
Determinations of oxidized triphosphopyridine nucleotide (TPN) and diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN) were made on perchloric acid filtrates of human erythrocytes using modifications of standard enzymic methods. Normal males had mean TPN values of 3.4 p. moles /100 ml erythrocytes. Erythrocytes from individuals who develop acute hemolytic anemia when given primaquine and other agents had clearly elevated mean TPN vlaues of 5.0 [mu] moles /100 ml erythrocytes. While differences were not as clear cut, mean DPN values for normal and primaquine sensitive men were 5.3 [mu] moles and 6.5 [mu] moles /100 ml erythrocytes, respectively. Elevation of TPN in primaquine sensitive erythrocytes probably reflects their deficiency in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and their increase in glutathione reductase activity. The smaller increase in DPN may be related to the increase in glutathione reductase activity and its ability to utilize reduced DPN (DPNH) in human hemolyzates. The findings suggest a deficiency in reduced TPN (TPNH), a coenzyme which is necessary for vital reductive synthetic processes.