SERUM FLUORIDE AND THE CONTENT OF ADENINE NUCLEO- TIDES AND 2,3-BISPHOSPHOGLYCERATE IN ERYTHROCYTES OF RATS EXPOSED TO SODIUM FLUORIDE

SUMMARY: Cellular adenine nucleotides (ATP, ADP, AMP), total adenylate nucleotides (TAN), adenylate energy charge (AEC), and the concentration of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) in erythrocytes as well as fluoride ions (F - ) in the blood serum were investigated in Wistar rats administered 2.21 and 8.82 mg NaF/kg bw/day by stomach tube for four weeks. After either dose of NaF there was a significant decrease (p≤0.01) in the erythrocyte content of ATP and ADP. The erythrocyte content of AMP, however, showed an increase which was significantly larger (p≤0.01) after the higher dose of NaF than after the lower dose (p≤0.05). The erythrocyte concentration of TAN decreased sig- nificantly after both doses (p≤0.01), but the decrease in AEC was smaller and was significant only after the higher dose (p≤0.05). After either dose, the con- centration of 2,3-BPG in red blood cells was significantly higher (p≤0.01). Moreover, the higher dose of NaF and the serum F - correlated linearly with the erythrocyte content of ATP, ADP, TAN, AEC, and 2,3-BPG, but not with that of AMP. These observations suggest that exposure of rats to the higher dose of NaF resulted in impaired energy metabolism of their erythrocytes.