Effect of experimental diabetes on the activities of hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and catecholamines in rat erythrocytes of different ages.

Hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were assayed in various circulating age fractions i.e., young, middle-aged and old red cell from control, diabetic and insulin-treated diabetic rats. An increase in the activity of hexokinase was observed in three age-wise separated fractions of red cells from diabetic animals in comparison to control. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase on the other hand decreased in separated ageing fractions of diabetic red cells when compared to control. Reversal of these two enzymes were observed in insulin-treated diabetic rats. The levels of glycosylated haemoglobin and catecholamines were found to increase with ageing red cells in controls and also increased in red cells plasma.