The effects of copper and copper o-phenanthroline complex on the intact human erythrocytes.

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Abstract
In the presence of albumin, cytotoxic effects of Cu on erythrocytes in vitro were reduced. The presence of o-phenanthroline accelerated deleterious effects of Cu on the erythrocytes resulting in a decrease in the glutathione level, Cu accumulation in the cell, loss of K and gain of Na, cross-linking of membrane proteins mainly involving spectrin and band 3, and echinocyte formation. These changes were not reversible. Prior treatment of the cells with N-ethylmaleimide inhibited the cross-linking of membrane proteins and echinocytic transformation by copper-o-phenanthroline complex (CuP) or diamide to a certain extent. Treatment of the cells with vinblastine, a stomatocytogenic agent, restored biconcave disc shape of CuP-treated erythrocytes, although it did not inhibit the cross-linking of spectrin. Blocking of sulfhydryl groups was not the prerequisite for Cu to be accumulated in the erythrocyte. These results may be helpful for the understanding of the mechanism of hemolysis associated with Cu intoxication in vivo.