Sulfhydryl reagents induce altered spectrin self-association, skeletal
instability, and increased thermal sensitivity of red cells
DK Smith and J Palek
Incubation of erythrocytes with the sulfhydryl reagent N-ethyl- maleimide
(NEM) results in altered spectrin self-association and formation of dimers
on the membrane. Skeletons isolated from these cells exhibit marked
skeletal instability. In addition, NEM treatment induces increased thermal
sensitivity of both cells and purified spectrin. These effects were not
produced in aerobically incubated glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
deficient cells and were therefore presumably not due to depletion of
intracellular reduced glutathione. These effects were produced by another
permeant sulfhydryl reagent, monobromobimane, but not by its
membrane-impermeant derivative. We conclude that spectrin sulfhydryl groups
play an important role in spectrin self-association and thermal stability.
Volume 62,
Issue 6,
pp. 1190-1196,
12/01/1983
Copyright © 1983 by The American Society of Hematology
