Comparison of four erythrocyte fragility tests as indicators of vitamin E status in adult dogs.
Plasma alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T) concentrations, erythrocyte osmotic fragility and detergent sensitivity were measured at 8 week intervals in two 1-year-old male beagle dogs fed a vitamin E-deficient diet (< 0.08 mg per kg alpha-T) and in two control beagles fed the same diet supplemented with vitamin E (> 90 mg per kg alpha-T). Beginning at 24 weeks, dialuric acid haemolysis and spontaneous haemolysis were evaluated also. In the vitamin E-deficient dogs, plasma alpha-T concentrations declined progressively from baseline values of 20.5 and 31.3 micrograms per ml to 0.11 and 0.07 micrograms per ml, respectively, by 90 weeks. The supplemented dogs maintained alpha-T concentrations between 18.3 and 38.4 micrograms per ml. Both dialuric acid haemolysis (R = -0.89) and spontaneous haemolysis (R = -0.91) increased with declining plasma alpha-T concentration. In the dialuric acid haemolysis assay, 50 per cent haemolysis occurred when plasma alpha-T declined to 1.7 micrograms per ml, compared with spontaneous haemolysis in which 50 per cent haemolysis occurred when plasma alpha-T declined to 0.5 micrograms per ml. Osmotic fragility and detergent sensitivity remained unchanged in the vitamin E-deficient dogs throughout the study. Of the four tests, dialuric acid haemolysis was the most sensitive in-vitro assay for vitamin E deficiency in adult dogs.
Pillai
S R
SR
Scott-Ritchey Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL 36849.
Steiss
J E
JE
Traber
M G
MG
Kayden
H J
HJ
Wright
J C
JC
D000818:Animals; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000494:pharmacology; D003902:Detergents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D009996:Osmotic Fragility; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
D001463:Barbiturates; D003902:Detergents; D014810:Vitamin E; C004718:dialuric acid