Abstract
Keilin 1 reported the formation of a compound between hydrogen sulfide and ferrihemoglobin which appears to come into the category of a class of ferrihemoglobin compounds, the existence of which was predicted by Gamgee 2 and termed “hemoferrides” by Barnard. 3 Because of the close chemical, physical and toxicologic similarities of hydrogen sulfide to hydrogen selenide, we have studied the effects of the latter on various hemoglobin derivatives. The analogy between the two gases appears to extend to their behavior toward hemoglobin solutions, thus, treatment of ferrihemoglobin solutions with hydrogen selenide results in the formation of a compound which is spectroscopically similar to hydrogen sulfide ferrihemoglobin whereas the ferrihemochromogens are reduced by hydrogen selenide to the corresponding ferrohemochromogens.
Experimental. I. Preparation of Solutions. 1. Ferrihemoglobin. Fresh erythrocyte suspensions (rat, dog, and human) of known oxygen capacity were hemolyzed with ether-saturated water and diluted to a concentration of 0.1 millimolar in terms of iron molarity. An equivalent of potassium ferricyanide was added and the solution kept at room temperature for an hour before use. Complete oxidation to ferrihemoglobin was confirmed by spectroscopic examination.
2. Ferrrihemochromogens. 63 mg of crystalline ferriheme chloride was dissolved in each of the following solvents: (a) 5% aqueous pyridine to form pyridine ferrihemochromogen hydroxide. (b) 26% ammonia water to form ammonia, ferrihemochromogen hydroxide. (c) 2% sodium cyanide to form cyano-ferrihemochromogen cyanide.
3. Ferrihemes. 63 mg of crystalline ferriheme chloride was dissolved in (a) 1% sodium carbonate to give sodium ferriheme hydroxide and (b) 3% triethanolamine to form treithanolamine ferriheme hydroxide solution. All ferrihemochromogen and ferriheme solutions were 0.2 millimolar, a concentration that is well suited for spectroscopic work.
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