INCREASED INDUCTION OF APOPTOSIS IN MONONUCLEAR-CELLS OF A GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE-DEHYDROGENASE DEFICIENT PATIENT

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency belongs to the mos t common human disorders of metabolism. In affected patients generatio n of free radicals causes life-threatening hemolytic crises, for examp le, after consumption of certain drugs and foods or after infections. Rather than erythrocytes we analyzed mononuclear white blood cells of a patient suffering from G6PD deficiency with respect to their ability to enter apoptosis after treatment with daunorubicin, ionizing radiat ion, or dexamethasone. The induction of apoptosis was increased in G6P D-deficient cells compared to cells from eight normal donors. In paral lel, the glutathione content of mononuclear cells from the G6PD-defici ent patient was significantly decreased. While in affected patients de creased life span of erythrocytes damaged by oxidative stress has long been recognized as the mechanism underlying hemolysis, peripheral leu kocytes have not received similar attention. Induction of apoptosis is a relatively complex process that has been linked to cellular glutath ione content. This is the first report investigating G6PD deficiency a nd apoptosis.