The relationship between the thiamin pyrophosphate effect and the saturation status of the transketolase with its coenzyme in human erythrocytes.

The thiamin pyrophosphate effect has been used as a reliable index to evaluate the nutritional status of thiamin. But there has not been any report concerning whether or not the thiamin pyrophosphate effect really reflects the saturation status of transketolase with thiamin pyrophosphate. In this report we studied the relationship between the thiamin pyrophosphate effect and the saturation status of transketolase. First, we determined the thiamin pyrophosphate concentrations, transketolase activities, thiamin pyrophosphate effects, and transketolase concentrations in human hemolysates from 16 apparently healthy subjects. The molar ratio of thiamin pyrophosphate to transketolase was in inverse proportion to the thiamin pyrophosphate effect. Second, we prepared apotransketolase preparations and reconstituted it with various concentrations of thiamin pyrophosphate. The thiamin pyrophosphate effects in these preparations were in good correspondence with the ratios of apotransketolase. These results indicate that the thiamin pyrophosphate effect really reflects the saturation status of transketolase with coenzyme.