MECHANISM OF HEMOLYSIS OF CANINE ERYTHROCYTES INDUCED BY L-SORBOSE

The cause of species difference in the susceptibility of erythrocytes to L-sorbose, and the difference in the hemolytic effect of sorbose on high potassium-containing (HK) and low potassium-containing (LK) cani ne erythrocytes were examined. L-Sorbose was phosphorylated in canine erythrocytes, but not in human erythrocytes. Furthermore, sorbose-1-ph osphate, a metabolite of L-sorbose, strongly inhibited the hexokinase of LK canine erythrocytes, but not that of HK canine erythrocytes. The se results strongly indicated that inhibition of hexokinase by sorbose -1-phosphate in LK erythrocytes induced severe glycolytic limitation i n these cells, resulting in hemolysis, and that HK erythrocytes are re sistant to sorbose-induced hemolysis because these cells have a high h exokinase activity.