Erythrocyte Adenosine Triphosphate and 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate after Human Renal Transplantation: Dissociation from Hypophosphataemia

Abstract

1. Erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were determined in normal individuals, uraemic patients on chronic haemodialysis and patients who underwent renal transplantation, and correlated with plasma phosphate and arterial blood pH. 2. Significant increases in the 2,3-DPG and ATP content were found in the uraemic patients and these persisted after transplantation in spite of marked hypophosphataemia. 3. No correlation was established with plasma phosphate for either of the compounds but 2,3-DPG had a significant correlation with arterial blood pH. 4. Normal values for ATP and 2,3-DPG were observed in post-transplant patients with normal haematological values. The high amounts of erythrocyte 2,3-DPG and ATP in the early post-transplant period are independent of the circulating concentration of inorganic phosphate, and might represent the response of erythrocyte glycolysis to changing arterial blood pH.

Different Effects of Chronic Renal Failureon Erythrocyte Nucleotide Concentrationsin Humans and Rats

“…This opinion is based on the fact that phosphate may regulate the nucleotide metabolism [3] and stimulate glycolysis which may contribute to the elevated erythrocyte ATP production [4]. Furthermore, hypophosphatemia in both nonuremic [5] and uremic [6] patients is associated with reduced levels of erythrocyte ATP. These facts let us suppose that the serum phosphate concentration can be strongly correlated with the erythrocyte ATP concentration.…”