Loss of red blood cell glutathione during Mg deficiency: prevention by vitamin E, D-propranolol, and chloroquine

• Published in: The American journal of physiology Vol. 267; no. 5; p. C1366
• Main Authors: Mak, I.T. (George Washington University Medical Center, DC.), Stafford, R, Weglicki, W.B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.1994
• Subjects: Animals; ANTIOXIDANTES; ANTIOXYDANT; ANTIPROTOZOAIRE; CARENCE MINERALE; Chloroquine - pharmacology; CITOQUININAS; CONTAMINANTES; CYTOKININE; DEFICIENCIA DE MINERALES; DIETA; ERITROCITOS; ERYTHROCYTE; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Glutathione - blood; MAGNESIO; MAGNESIUM; Magnesium Deficiency - blood; Male; MEDICAMENTOS CONTRA PROTOZOARIOS; MINERALES; MINERAUX; PEPTIDE; PEPTIDOS; PEROXIDACION LIPIDICA; PEROXYDATION DES LIPIDES; POLLUANT; Propranolol - pharmacology; RAT; RATA; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reactive Oxygen Species - pharmacology; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; TERAPEUTICA MEDICAMENTOSA; THERAPEUTIQUE MEDICAMENTEUSE; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism; Time Factors; Vitamin E - pharmacology; VITAMINA E; VITAMINE E
• ISSN: 0002-9513; 2163-5773
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.1994.267.5.c1366

Mg-deficiency results in loss of red blood cell glutathione and was thought to be due to decreased Mg-dependent synthesis. The effects of vitamin E, D-propranolol, and chloroquine on red blood cell glutathione levels in Mg-deficient rats were examined. Feeding the rats a Mg-deficient diet for 3 wk resulted in an approximately 80% decrease in serum Mg and a 55% loss of red blood cell glutathione; concomitantly, plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive (TBAR) materials rose 240%. All three drug treatments had no effect on the plasma Mg levels but significantly inhibited the rise in TBAR content and attenuated (60-80% effective) the loss of glutathione. Red blood cell ghost membranes from the Mg-deficient rats also exhibited 2.3-fold higher TBAR content, which was attenuated by vitamin E treatment. With isolated red blood cells from Mg-sufficient rats, loss of glutathione could be induced by a chemical oxyradical system. Direct protective effects were afforded by alpha-tocopherol and D-propranolol but not by chloroquine. The data suggest that 1. the loss of glutathione during Mg deficiency was due to increased oxidative degradation, 2. both vitamin E and D-propranolol protected by a membrane antiperoxidative action, and 3. chloroquine probably protected by diminishing prooxidant activity secondary to its inhibition of cytokine induction during Mg deficiency