Erythrocyte membrane protein abnormalities in beta-thalassemia of the Li nationality in Hainan

Objective To determine the composition of abnormal red cell membrane skelet in. Methods By sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of gh ostcorpuscles, we quantified the amount of protein by densitometric evaluat ion. Results The results showed that in beta -thalassemia, the amount of spectri n, 4.5 protein and globin significantly increased compared with the control s (26.05 +/- 1.46, 21.69 +/- 1.86; 22.87 +/- 5.61, 12.99 +/- 2.33; 15.23 +/ - 3.31 and 4.97 +/- 2.73, respectively, P < 0.05). Conclusion These data suggest that the erythrocyte membrane protein composi tion matched with globin in patients with <beta>-thalassemia of the racial Li minority are different from the normal control. These factors increase r igidity but decrease deformability of the beta -thalassemic red cell membra ne, which may lead to hemolytic anemia.