Distribution of gold in serum erythrocytes and white blood cells after in vitro incubation and during chrysotherapy with different gold compounds.

We examined the binding of gold to serum proteins and the gold level in serum and in blood cells both after incubation in vitro and under longterm treatment with 3 gold compounds. Gold was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, a serum fractionated by gel chromatography; blood cells were separated by gradient centrifugation, and intracellular gold was measured after pressure decomposition and MIBK-extraction. Aurothiomalate (GSTM), gold keratinate (GK), and auranofin (AF) were used. AF showed the highest binding to globulins in in vitro and in vivo. With GSTM and GK there were no measurable amounts of gold in the red cell lysate or erythrocyte membranes whereas with AF 40% of gold was localized within erythrocytes. The amount of gold in granulocytes and mononuclear cells after incubation with AF is considerably higher than with GK and GSTM.