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Functional expression of human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli.

The complete coding sequence for human glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) was inserted downstream from the tac promoter of a plasmid, pJF118EH, which also carries the lacIq repressor gene. When Escherichia coli strains (that are unable to grow on glucose due to the absence of functional zwf (G6PD-) and pgi genes) were transformed with this plasmid (pAC1), they were able to grow on glucose as sole carbon source. The rate of growth on glucose was faster in the presence of the inducer of the tac promoter, isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). Extracts of the transformed cells contained a G6PD activity that was not detectable in the parental strains and that was inducible by IPTG. The G6PD activities from normal E. coli and from pAC1-transformed cells comigrated with human G6PD when subjected to electrophoresis on agarose gels. However, when denatured, the G6PD produced by pAC1 was, like the human enzyme, distinguishable from the E. coli-encoded enzyme on the basis of its immunoreactivity with antibody specific for human G6PD. Therefore, human G6PD can be expressed in E. coli and can function to complement the bacterial enzyme deficiency.

Base Sequence↗

Biochemical and cytochemical evaluation of heterozygote individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

The aim of this study was to diagnose heterozygous glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient females by an inexpensive cytochemical G6PD staining method that is easy to perform, allowing diagnosis of G6PD deficiency without cumbersome genetic analysis. Three subject groups were included in the study. The first group consisted of 15 hemizygous deficient males. The second and the third group were composed of 15 heterozygous deficient females and 15 healthy individuals, respectively. Biochemical determination and cytochemical staining of G6PD activity were performed in samples of all subjects. Results obtained with the cytochemical staining method correlated significantly with the biochemical data (p < 0.001), but a only 51-68% of the erythrocytes were stained positively in females with normal biochemical G6PD activity despite their having a G6PD-deficient child. This observation clearly indicates that these individuals are heterozygously deficient. These findings show that the cytochemical staining method to detect G6PD activity in erythrocytes is reliable, sensitive and specific and is superior to the biochemical method. Therefore, this method can be used routinely to detect heterozygous G6PD deficiency.

Adolescent↗

L-cysteine supplementation protects the erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity from reduction induced by forced training.

BACKGROUND: L-cysteine (L-cys) is implicated in the reduction of free radical production. AIM: To investigate the effect of training and L-cys supplementation on the erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity. METHODS: Blood was obtained from 10 basketball players pre-game (group A), post-game (group B) and after 1 week on L-cys (0.5 g/24 h orally) supplementation pre- (group C) and post-training (group D). Total antioxidant status (TAS) and G6PD activity were evaluated with commercial kits. RESULTS: TAS increased in the groups with l-cys addition (group C and group D). Post-exercise, TAS and G6PD activity were remarkably higher (1.48+/-0.12 mmol/L, 8.9+/-1.7 U/g Hb, respectively) in group D than those in group B (0.92+/-0.10 mmol/L, 4.8+/-1.6 U/g Hb, p<0.01). G6PD activity positively correlated with TAS (r=0.70, p<0.001 pre- and r=0.61, p<0.001 post-training) in all the studied groups. CONCLUSIONS: G6PD activity is lowered by training probably due to free radical action. L-cys supplementation may protect G6PD activity from reduction by increasing total antioxidant capacity and glutathione production. G6PD activity should be evaluated in the blood of athletes of Mediterranean origin and female G6PD-deficient heterozygotes.

Adolescent↗

Estrogenic effects of phenolic compounds on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in MCF-7 cells and uterine glutathione peroxidase in rats.

In this study, we tested phenolic compounds such as bisphenol A (BPA), 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-octylphenol (OP) and 4-propylphenol (PP) by using glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in estrogen sensitive human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 cells) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in female immature Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. This study was designed to investigate whether phenolic compounds have estrogenic effects in these useful screening methods for endocrine disruptors. We chose 6 h as the incubation period for the G6PD assay through a preliminary experiment using 17beta-estradiol (E2). Above the concentration of 1 x 10(-8) M, BPA significantly increased the G6PD activity in a concentration-dependent manner, relative to the control. NP (over the concentration of 1 x 10(-9) M) also enhanced the G6PD activity by about 1.8 times that of the control. OP produced weaker effects on G6PD than NP, and showed a tendency to increase the G6PD activity. PP did not affect the G6PD activity. These results show that BPA and NP have the effect of enhancing G6PD activities in MCF-7 cells. In the in vivo GPx assay, both BPA and E2 significantly increased the uterus wet weights and dramatically enhanced uterine GPx activities in immature female rats in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with NP (500 mg/kg/day) increased significantly both the uterine GPx activity and the uterus wet weights in immature female rats. OP (500 mg/kg/day) also caused a significant increase in uterine GPx activity, but had no effect on the uterus wet weights. This finding indicates that the change in uterine GPx activities could be a more sensitive parameter than that of uterus wet weights in immature rats. This study implies that phenolic compounds have a weak estrogenic effects.

Administration, Oral↗

Postnatal expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in different brain areas.

The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) was studied in five brain areas of rats aged 5 to 90 days. The areas studied were: the olfactory bulb (OB), cortex, hippocampus, striatum and septum. The G6PD activity increased more than 2-fold from 5 to 90 days in the OB, while it was almost constant in the other areas. At every stage of development, the G6PD activity was significantly higher in the OB than in the other areas. The G6PD pattern was compared with 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), glutathione reductase (GR); glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in order to find synergistic interactions among activities of these enzymes during development. Over the considered period, the activity of 6PGD increased significantly in the OB, while no significant difference in activity was detected in the other areas. GR increased significantly and progressively at each developmental stage in all areas. GPX showed a progressive increase in the OB, while in other areas a significant increase was detected at 90 days only. CAT and SOD showed a different and independent pattern which differed from the G6PD pattern. CAT showed the highest level of activity at 5 days then progressively decreased or was constant until 90 days; SOD had the highest value at 5 days, than it decreased at 10 days and increased from 10 to 90 days. In all areas, G6PD activity showed three electrophoretic bands, whose relative activity changed with development. At histochemical level, we found a marked G6PD activity in the periglomerular zone of the OB, which increased with age, while other areas showed a homogeneous staining. The present results demonstrate that G6PD activity increases in the OB during the developmental stages and there is a coordinated simultaneous activation of 6PGD, GPX and GR. It is likely that this enzyme induction increases the antioxidant defense of periglomerular cells that are subject to a rapid renewal and thus much more exposed to oxidant stress.

Aging↗

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an X-linked hemolytic enzymopathy affecting 3% of Southern Chinese males. Among 275 adult allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (SCT), five cases (1.8%) each of donors and recipients were G6PD deficient. Among 107 autologous SCT, four patients (3.7%) were G6PD deficient. All subjects were male, except for two female patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The incidence of G6PD deficiency in female CML patients was significantly higher than the background female incidence (P = 0.004), but comparable with that in the males (P = 0.664). There was no significant hemolysis or delay in red cell engraftment, and all but one patient converted to donor G6PD screening status. One female patient achieved partial correction of her G6PD status and relapsed at 10 months. We suggest that G6PD deficiency should be tested for in all marrow donors and recipients in susceptible populations. From our data, there is a suggestion of increased clinical incidence of G6PD deficiency in female patients with multi-lineage clonal marrow disorders.

Adolescent↗

Three major glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient polymorphic variants identified in Mazandaran state of Iran.

We report the first investigation of glucose- 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency among the Mazandaranians in the north of Iran. We analysed the G6PD gene in 74 unrelated G6PD-deficient men with a history of favism. Molecular analysis revealed three major different polymorphic variants: G6PD Mediterranean 66.2% (49 out of 74), G6PD Chatham 27% (20 out of 74), G6PD Cosenza 6.75% (5 out of 74). These findings indicated a higher prevalence of G6PD Chatham in this Iranian population than anywhere else in the world. In addition, the distribution of these G6PD variants is more similar to that found in an Italian population than in other Middle Eastern countries.

Child↗

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is associated with increased initial clinical severity of acute viral hepatitis A.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, the enzyme is deficient in liver cells as well as in erythrocytes. It has been suggested that this may be associated with a more severe clinical presentation of acute viral hepatitis A. The aim of this study is to determine the severity of liver disease in patients with viral hepatitis and G6PD deficiency. METHODS: Eighteen patients with diagnosed G6PD deficiency and acute hepatitis A were compared with 18 matched control patients with hepatitis A in a university hospital for liver disease severity and clinical outcome. RESULTS: Two of 18 patients with G6PD deficiency had neurological deterioration. Patients with G6PD deficiency had a mean peak prothrombin time (PT) that was significantly prolonged as compared with the control group (15.5 +/- 3.7 vs 12.9 +/- 2.0 s, respectively, P < 0.02), and a significantly higher proportion had an abnormal PT (PT > 13.3 s): 61 versus 11% (P < 0.0001). Hemolysis occurred in 44% of the G6PD deficiency patients. Total and direct bilirubin were significantly higher in all patients with G6PD deficiency, including patients without hemolysis. There was no significant difference in liver enzyme levels between the two groups. Patients with G6PD deficiency had a longer average hospital stay (9.5 +/- 4.8 vs 3.4 +/- 0.8 days, respectively, P < 0.001). There was no difference in the final clinical outcome between the two groups, and recovery of liver function was seen in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in patients with hepatitis A causes a more severe initial clinical presentation, but does not alter the final clinical outcome.

Acute Disease↗

Tissue-specific levels of human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase correlate with methylation of specific sites at the 3' end of the gene.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a ubiquitous enzyme that supplies the cell with NADPH required for a variety of reductive reactions and biosynthetic processes. Therefore, the gene G6PD, located in mammals on the X chromosome, that specifies G6PD can be regarded as a typical housekeeping gene. We have investigated the expression of human G6PD in eight different fetal and adult tissues by determining the level of enzyme activity, the level of G6PD mRNA, and the methylation pattern of the 3' end of the gene, for which we have nucleic acid probes. By combining sequence information with results of Southern blot analysis of DNA samples digested with the methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme Hpa II, we have identified five specific sites that are unmethylated in all tissues examined, a number of sites that are uniformly methylated, and a number of sites that are sometimes methylated. A subset of Hpa II sites, designated on our restriction map as H37-H55, exhibit positive correlation between degree of methylation, level of mRNA, and level of G6PD activity. A comparison of these methylation patterns with those we previously have observed in the G6PD gene on the inactive X chromosome [Toniolo, D., D'Urso, M., Martini, G., Persico, M.G., Tufano, V., Battistuzzi, G. & Luzzatto, L. (1984) EMBO J. 3, 1987-1995] indicates that different sites are associated with X-inactivation and with the regulation of G6PD on the active X chromosome. We conclude that this housekeeping gene is subject to tissue-specific transcriptional regulation, which in turn correlates with methylation of specific sites located at and near the 3' end of the gene.

Gene Expression Regulation↗

Importance of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity for cell growth.

The intracellular redox potential, which is determined by the level of oxidants and reductants, has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of cell growth. The principal intracellular reductant is NADPH, which is mainly produced by the pentose phosphate pathway through the actions of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the rate-limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway, and by 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. Previous research has suggested that an increase in G6PD activity is important for cell growth. In this article, we suggest that G6PD activity plays a critical role in cell growth by providing NADPH for redox regulation. The results show the following: 1) inhibition of G6PD activity abrogated growth factor stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation in all cell lines tested; 2) overexpression of G6PD stimulated cell growth, as measured by an increase in [3H]thymidine incorporations as compared with cells transfected with vector alone; 3) inhibition of G6PD caused cells to be more susceptible to the growth inhibitory effects of H2O2; 4) inhibition of G6PD led to a 30-40% decrease in the NADPH/NADP ratio; and 5) inhibition of G6PD inhibited cell anchorage and significantly decreased the growth-related stimulation of tyrosine phosphorylation.

3T3 Cells↗

Regulation of glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in the meal-fed rat.

Meal-feeding of a high sucrose diet produces a diurnal cycle (i.e., food response) in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) levels resulting in an elevated level of these enzymes at approximately 12 hours after the start of a 2-hour meal and a return to base level by 24 hours. The effects of actinomycin D and cycloheximide on the 12-hour increases in G6PD and 6GPD were determined. Cycloheximide completely blocked the increase in G6PD if administered 2 or 4 hours after start of the meal, while actinomycin D completely blocked the increase in G6PD if administered at 2 hours and almost completely at 4 hours after start of the meal. These results were obtained previously with starved rats refed a sucrose diet. The diurnal increases in G6PD and 6PGD in meal-fed rats and the induction of G6PD in starved-refed rats thus appear to be regulated by the same mechanism requires RNA synthesis within 4 hours after start of re-feeding. The response of 6PGD to cycloheximide and to actinomycin D at 2 or 4 hours after start of the meal is essentially the same as that of G6PD. These data suggest that the increases in G6PD and 6PGD (and other enzymes) brought about by carbohydrate refeeding AFTER starvation or by carbohydrate meal-feeding on a diurnal cycle are mediated by a rapid change in RNA synthesis. This appears most compatible with a coordinate control of gene expression through messenger RNA synthesis.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

Attenuated monocyte IL-10 production in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient trauma patients.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is one of the world's most common known human genetic polymorphisms, but the pathophysiology of the defect remains largely unknown. In the present study, we compared hematology parameters and ex vivo monocyte cytokine responses in non-deficient and G6PD-deficient trauma patients. Deficient and non-deficient, moderately injured, trauma patients exhibited similar hematology profiles at the time of hospital admission. In contrast to non-deficient patients, G6PD-deficient patients were anemic 2 days post-injury. Monocytes from deficient individuals produced 50% less interleukin 10 (IL-10) in response to LPS and >90% less IL-10 in response to PMA, compared with non-deficient patients, 2 days post-injury. The presence of phenylhydrazine-treated, opsonized, autologous RBC (OX-RBC), alone had no effect on IL-10 production by non-deficient or deficient monocytes, whereas IL-10 responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were augmented by OX-RBC in both groups. However, IL-10 production was markedly lower by monocytes from G6PD-deficient than non-deficient patients after stimulation with LPS plus OX-RBC. TNF-alpha production following PMA was similar in deficient and non-deficient patients, and the differences following LPS or LPS plus OX-RBC stimulation were moderate between deficient and non-deficient samples. Interferon (IFN)-gamma production ex vivo was doubled by OX-RBC treatment alone, but it was not stimulated by LPS treatment. IFN-gamma production was similar in non-deficient and G6PD-deficient patients. These data suggest that the observed differences in IL-10 responses between G6PD-deficient and non-deficient patients are not attributable to differences in TNF-alpha or IFN-gamma production. Taken together, our data suggest that a reduction in the capacity to produce IL-10 may be an intrinsic characteristic of G6PD-deficient monocytes. An attenuated IL-10 production may be a contributing mechanism in the previously observed augmented inflammatory response in severely injured G6PD-deficient compared with non-deficient trauma patients.

Adult↗

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and the inflammatory response to endotoxin and polymicrobial sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common human genetic polymorphism. The deficiency protects against malaria but was shown to worsen the clinical course after severe trauma. This study tested whether the deficiency is associated with altered cytokine responses in vitro and in vivo and affects survival after endotoxemia or polymicrobial sepsis (cecal ligation and puncture). DESIGN: Genotyping of animals was carried out using a novel and improved allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay. Macrophage and splenocyte responses in vitro and ex vivo were compared using gene array analyses and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and flow cytometry under both baseline and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated conditions. Endotoxemia- or sepsis-induced mortality was compared under a variety of treatment and resuscitation protocols. SETTINGS: Medical school research laboratories. SUBJECTS: Litter mates of wild-type and G6PD-mutant mice that display a degree of G6PD deficiency similar to that observed in the African-type human deficiency (20% of normal). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Lipopolysaccharide in vivo (lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli, 10-35 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally) resulted in greater interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10 levels in serum and peritoneal lavage in G6PD-deficient mice compared with wild type. Prevailing doses of lipopolysaccharide in vivo increased mortality in G6PD-deficient animals (40-70%) as compared with wild type (5-40%). In contrast, mortality after cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis was similar in G6PD-deficient and wild-type animals either in saline-resuscitated or antibiotic-treated animals. Splenic and blood phagocytes from septic G6PD-deficient and wild-type animals displayed attenuated ex vivo lipopolysaccharide responsiveness. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that G6PD deficiency augments cytokine responses after inflammatory challenges. The deficiency is disadvantageous as reflected in increased mortality after hyperinflammation caused by acute endotoxemia. However, the deficiency may not manifest worsened survival after the immunosuppressed condition associated with severe sepsis.

Animals↗

Genetic evidence of a major role for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in nitrogen fixation and dark growth of the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. strain ATCC 29133.

Heterocysts, sites of nitrogen fixation in certain filamentous cyanobacteria, are limited to a heterotrophic metabolism, rather than the photoautotrophic metabolism characteristic of cyanobacterial vegetative cells. The metabolic route of carbon catabolism in the supply of reductant to nitrogenase and for respiratory electron transport in heterocysts is unresolved. The gene (zwf) encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the initial enzyme of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, was inactivated in the heterocyst-forming, facultatively heterotrophic cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp. strain ATCC 29133. The zwf mutant strain had less than 5% of the wild-type apparent G6PD activity, while retaining wild-type rates of photoautotrophic growth with NH4+ and of dark O2 uptake, but it failed to grow either under N2-fixing conditions or in the dark with organic carbon sources. A wild-type copy of zwf in trans in the zwf mutant strain restored only 25% of the G6PD specific activity, but the defective N2 fixation and dark growth phenotypes were nearly completely complemented. Transcript analysis established that zwf is in an operon also containing genes encoding two other enzymes of the oxidative pentose phosphate cycle, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and transaldolase, as well as a previously undescribed gene (designated opcA) that is cotranscribed with zwf. Inactivation of opcA yielded a growth phenotype identical to that of the zwf mutant, including a 98% decrease, relative to the wild type, in apparent G6PD specific activity. The growth phenotype and lesion of G6PD activity in the opcA mutant were complemented in trans with a wild-type copy of opcA. In addition, placement in trans of a multicopy plasmid containing the wild-type copies of both zwf and opcA in the zwf mutant resulted in an approximately 20-fold stimulation of G6PD activity, relative to the wild type, complete restoration of nitrogenase activity, and a slight stimulation of N2-dependent photoautotrophic growth and fructose-supported dark growth. These results unequivocally establish that G6PD, and most likely the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, represents the essential catabolic route for providing reductant for nitrogen fixation and respiration in differentiated heterocysts and for dark growth of vegetative cells. Moreover, the opcA gene product is involved by an as yet unknown mechanism in G6PD synthesis or catalytic activity.

Cell Division↗

Causes of death among lead smelters in relation to the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase polymorphism.

OBJECTIVE: To assess, by updating a follow-up mortality study of a lead smelters cohort in Sardinia, Italy, the adverse health effects following occupational lead exposure in relation to the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) polymorphism. METHOD: The 1973-2003 mortality of 1017 male lead smelters were followed-up, divided into two subcohorts according to the G6PD phenotype: whether G6PD deficient (G6PD-) or wild-type (wtG6PD). Deaths observed in the overall cohort and the two subcohorts were compared with those expected, on the basis of the age-, sex- and calendar year-specific mortality in the general male population of the island. Directly standardised mortality rates (sr) in the two subcohorts were also compared. RESULTS: Cardiovascular mortality was strongly reduced among production and maintenance workers, which is most related to the healthy worker effect. However, the sr for cardiovascular diseases was substantially lower among the G6PD- subcohort (5.0x10(-4)) than among the wtG6PD subcohort (33.6x10(-4); chi2 = 1.10; p = NS). Neoplasms of the haemopoietic system exceeded the expectation in the G6PD- subcohort (SMR = 388; 95% CI 111 to 1108). No other cancer sites showed any excess in the overall cohort or in the two subcohorts. No death from haemolytic anaemia occurred in the G6PD- subcohort. CONCLUSION: With due consideration of the limited statistical power of our study, previous results suggesting that in workplaces where exposure is under careful control, expressing the G6PD- phenotype does not convey increased susceptibility to lead toxicity are confirmed. The observed excess risk of haematopoietic malignancies seems to have most likely resulted from chance.

Adult↗

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and homozygous sickle cell disease in Congo.

G6PD genotypes were determined in Brazzaville (Congo) on 188 HbSS patients (109 females, 79 males) and 210 controls (115 females and 95 males) with HbAA. DNA samples were analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The frequencies of G6PD B, A+ and A- alleles were 56.9, 20.8 and, 22.2% in the patients versus 56.3, 21.2 and, 22.5% in the controls, respectively. The prevalence of G6PD genotypes in HbSS did not differ (p > 0.05) from that found in the controls. Prevalence of G6PD deficiency did not change when patients were stratified by age, suggesting that there is no advantage of the association of G6PD deficiency with HbSS. Red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were not modified by the G6PD genotypes, while Hb level was lower in HbSS with G6PD A-. Our study suggests that in Congo, G6PD deficiency does not offer any biological advantage to sicklers.

Adolescent↗

Effect of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency on neutrophil function.

The bactericidal activity of neutrophils depends primarily on free oxygen radicals released by the activation of NADPH oxidase when neutrophils are stimulated by microorganisms. Severe glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is associated with decreased NADPH production. Increased susceptibility to recurrent bacterial infections in children with severe neutrophil G6PD deficiency as a consequence of decreased NADPH production has been reported earlier. In this study, the in vitro activity of neutrophils from normal and G6PD-deficient individuals was assessed by measuring the [14C]CO2 released via the hexose monophosphate shunt from radiolabeled [1-14C]-glucose and the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye reduction test. Our results show that the G6PD activity of neutrophils from 48 individuals, identified as severely erythrocyte (RBC) G6PD deficient (< 2 U/10(12) RBC) was 23% of the enzyme activity of neutrophils from 53 individuals with normal RBC G6PD levels (98.8 U/10(12) RBC). However, the results of functional assays of neutrophils as measured by hexose monophosphate shunt and the NBT test were comparable in G6PD-deficient and normal individuals, suggesting that a reduced activity of G6PD to as low as 23% of normal does not affect neutrophil function.

Adult↗

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency decreases vascular superoxide and atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E(-/-) mice.

OBJECTIVE: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a key enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway that is a major source of cellular NADPH. The purpose of this study was to examine whether G6PD deficiency affects vascular oxidants and atherosclerosis in high-fat fed apolipoprotein (apo) E(-/-) mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: G6PD-mutant mice whose G6PD activity was 20% of normal were crossbred with apoE(-/-) mice. Among male apoE(-/-) mice that were fed a western-type diet for 11 weeks, G6PD wild-type (E-WT), and G6PD hemizygous (E-Hemi) mice were compared. Basal blood pressure was significantly higher in E-Hemi. However, superoxide anion release, nitrotyrosine, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase immunohistochemical staining were less in E-Hemi compared with E-WT aorta. Serum cholesterol level was lower in E-Hemi, but aortic lesion area was decreased in E-Hemi even after adjusting for serum cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Lower NADPH production in G6PD deficiency may result in lower NADPH oxidase-derived superoxide anion, and thus lower aortic lesion growth. The association of higher blood pressure with lower serum cholesterol levels in this mouse model is indicative of the complex effects that G6PD deficiency may have on vascular disease.

Animals↗