Metabolism of biogenic aldehydes in isolated human blood cells, platelets and in plasma.

The metabolism of biogenic aldehydes was measured in different human blood fractions. Isolated erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets and plasma were incubated with 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetaldehyde (DOPAL) or 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetaldehyde (5-HIAL), the aldehydes derived from dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine, respectively. The disappearance of the aldehydes and the formation of acid and alcohol metabolites were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The aldehydes were unstable in phosphate-buffered saline, but this nonenzymatic oxidation was prevented in the presence of EDTA, pyrophosphate or blood tissue. When DOPAL or 5-HIAL were incubated with erythrocytes, only acid metabolites were formed, whereas both acid and alcohol metabolites were formed in incubations with leukocytes or platelets. The amount of the acid metabolite exceeded that of the alcohol metabolite, both with leukocytes and platelets. No metabolites were formed when the aldehydes were incubated in plasma. The oxidation of the aldehydes in incubations with erythrocytes or platelets was totally inhibited in the presence of 50 microM of the aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor disulfiram. However, disulfiram did not inhibit the metabolism of DOPAL and 5-HIAL in incubations with leukocytes, suggesting that different isozymes of aldehyde dehydrogenase are present in leukocytes as compared to erythrocytes and platelets.