Effect of sulfur dioxide inhalation on erythrocyte deformability

Abstract

Erythrocyte deformability indexes of 14 male rats exposed to 1 ppm sulfur dioxide (SO₂) for 24 hours were compared with the values of a control group of 14 male rats. Deformability indexes were found to be increased, suggesting an impaired deform ability, while the volume and hemoglobin contents of erythrocytes were unchanged. In a different set of control and experimental groups resealed erythrocyte membrane ghosts were prepared and the deformability, mean ghost volume and hemoglobin content were studied. No statistically significant differences were found for deformability and mean ghost volumes but the hemoglobin content of the ghosts prepared from the SO₂ treated rats were significantly higher than the control group value. It is postulated that, inhalation of SO₂ might impair the deformability of erythrocytes by increasing associations between hemoglobin and membrane proteins.