Electron Spin Resonance Studies of Erythrocytes from Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Abstract

A C T The membrane organization of the erythrocytes from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy was studied by means of electron spin resonance. The fluiidity of the membrane near the polar region of Duchenine muscular dystrophy ervthrocytes was similar to that of normal erythrocytes. The membrane environment in the nonpolar region, however, was quite different from that of normal erythrocytes, judged by the spectra with 2-(14- carboxytetradecyl) -2 -ethyl -4,4 -dimethyl -3 -oxazoli- dinvloxyl as probe. The temperature dependence of the ratio of the line height of central field to that at the low field showed two inflection points in normal erythrocytes at pH 7.4 (13.5-16.5and 37.5-40.5C, respectively) but the inflection point in the lower temperature range was not detected in Duchenne muscular dystrophy erythrocytes. When pH was varied, an abrupt decrease in the ratio was observed at pH 5.9-5.6 in normal erythrocytes whereas there was a gradual decrease over the range of pH from 6.6 to 5.0 in Duchenne muscular dystrophy erythrocytes.