title: Indices of membrane alterations in beta-thalassemic erythrocytes.
abstract: Analytical protocols for the study of thalassemic erythrocyte membrane alterations are described. Denatured hemoglobin derivatives and aggregated band 3 are separated from detergent membrane extracts by gel-filtration as high-molecular-weight aggregates and quantitated spectrophotometrically. Membrane-bound, low-molecular-weight iron is measured on SDS-solubilized ghosts by a ferrozine-based colorimetric test. We adapted these methods for microscale preparation and analysis of erythrocyte ghosts in order to have suitable tools to estimate oxidative membrane damage in human samples. Data from 11 beta-thalassemia intermedia patients and from 10 normal controls are reported as an example of the application of these methods.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Centro Anemie Congenite Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, IRCCS, Universitá di Milano, Italia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tavazzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Comino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Turrini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiorelli
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cappellini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006418:Heme / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006418:Heme; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin; D007501:Iron