Effect of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency on some biophysical properties of human erythrocytes.

The most widespread erythrocyte enzyme defect throughout the world is glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency. The diagnosis of G-6-PD deficiency may be missed during an acute hemolytic episode due to increased young red blood cells which have good enzyme activity. However this might be detected at a later stage when the patient is asymptomatic. This calls for a detailed investigation of the patient with an acute attack of hemolysis at a later stage. Blood samples were obtained from 45 G-6-PD deficient male patients with previously diagnosed disease [25 subjects were during hemolytic attack (Gp1) while the rest was outside acute hemolytic crisis (Gp2)] and 20 healthy male subjects. The effect of G-6-PD deficiency on the erythrocytes of the above groups was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) complemented with dielectric spectroscopy. The quantification of the morphological shape changes revealed that Gp1 had a significant increase in spheroechinocytes as well as in the morphological index in comparison with those of all other groups. The overall electrical and morphological properties of the red cell membrane of these subjects modified to a great extent during hemolytic attack. This may have important diagnostic and research implications. Thus the combined application of dielectric spectroscopy and SEM can be used as an efficient manner for monitoring abnormalities in blood and erythrocytes due to G-6-PD deficiency.