Glutathione and Lipid Peroxidation Profiles of Normal, G6PD-Deficient and Sickle Erythrocytes Exposed to Oxidative Stress

In this study, the glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation profiles of normal, G6PD-deficient and sickle erythrocytes were assessed before (pre-APHZ) and after (Post-APHZ) induction of oxidative stress with acetyphenylhydraizine (APHZ). Lipid peroxidation was measured as the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) produced per unit time (nmol hr1). Before treating the erythrocytes with APHZ, the mean GSH levels were 39.82 ± 1.48, 36.00 ± 2.44 and 26.00 ± 2.32 mg /10 ml in normal subjects, G6PD-deficient subjects and sickle cell patients respectively. The post-APHZ treatment levels of GSH for the same categories of erythrocytes were 37.0 ± 3.25, 17.10 ± 0.011 and 13.00 ± 1.98 mg/ 100 ml respectively. This study revealed that in the absence of an oxidant stressor, normal red cells, and those of G6PD-deficient subjects maintain high levels of GSH and low levels of lipid peroxidation products (measured as malondialdehyde, MDA) and that the initial effects of exposure to oxidative stress are lower GSH and elevated MDA contents of the cells. This study further established that the erythrocytes of sickle cells patients, even without any exogenous oxidative challenge, have subsisting low levels of GSH and high levels of MDA, most probably because sickle cell complications give rise to high levels of redox species that constitute molecular threats to the integrity of red blood cells. It was also a finding in this study that the red cells of normal subjects respond less significantly to such oxidative stress-induced parameters of assessing red blood cell integrity-GSH content and lipid perodixation.Keywords: Glutathione, Lipid peroxidation, G6PD-deficient, Sickle erythrocytes, Oxidative stress