EFFECT OF RIBOFLAVIN DEFICIENCY ON METABOLISM OF RED BLOOD-CELL

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 47  (4) , 349-355
Abstract
Red blood cells from control and riboflavin-deficient rats were separated into fractions of different mean age. Measurement of Hb in the red cell fractions showed a progressive reduction in the number of young cells as the severity of deficiency increased and a corresponding increase in the old cells. The red cells from the deficient animals were significantly more fragile in all fractions than their comparable fractions in the control animals when exposed to a peroxide generating system. The increased fragility of the red cell in the riboflavin deficient rat may be due to the reduced level of red cell reduced glutathione since this substance is a necessary substrate for glutathione peroxidase which functions to destroy peroxides. Reduced glutathione is also necessary to convert methemoglobin to Hb, and emthemoglobin levels were increased in red blood cells from deficient animals. Riboflavin deficiency, through its control of the activity of glutathione reductase, appears to influence red cell fragility in the rat, but there is no evidence yet to suggest that the life span of the erythrocyte is reduced.

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