Junko Mizugaki

Properties of residual catalase in the erythrocytes of Japanese-type acatalasemia.

SummaryIn Japanese-type acatalasemia erythrocytes, the presence and properties of residual catalase were determined and compared with those of normal erythrocyte catalase. Residual catalase activity was proved by titration, active staining after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and measurement of oxygen evolution. Residual catalase protein, demonstrated by double immunodiffusion, was similar to that of normal catalase. The properties of residual catalase activity were identical with those of normal catalase activity. It occurred as three fractions of equal specific activity by DEAE column chromatography. These observations suggest that Japanese-type acatalasemia contains residual catalase with properties similar to those of normal catalase.

Heterogeneity of erythrocyte catalase in Japanese-type acatalasemia by electrofocusing

Erythrocyte catalase from the heterozygote and homozygote for the Japanese type of acatalasemia has been compared with normal catalase by enzyme activity using titration and by oxygen evolution; by cellular distribution of the enzyme in blood; by stability to heat and to some enzyme inhibitors; by elution patterns in column chromatography; by electrophoretic mobility; and by immunological reaction against anti-normal human erythrocyte catalase serum (Ogata et al., 1973; Ogata and Mizugaki, 1978, 1979a, b). These observations suggest that the Japanese type of acatalasemia differs from the Swiss type (Aebi et al., 1976); it has a catalase activity that is lower than normal, but the other properties of the catalase in this acatalasemia are similar to those of the normal enzyme. Heterogeneity of human erythrocyte catalase has been reported by Aebi et al. (1975, 1977) and Aebi and Wyss (1977). In this report, fresh hemolysates obtained from the Japanese type of acatalasemia, from hypocatalasemia, and from normal erythrocytes were analyzed by isoelectric focusing.