The G6PD and 6PGD enzymes are responsible for the generation of NADPH supply necessary for the detoxification of the oxidant agents produced during the oxidative metabolic stress on erythrocytes. Due to the high prevalence of the deficiency of G6PD on world population, especially on Afro descents, many studies have been done trying to know better the actuation of these enzymes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the 6PGD enzymatic activity on a population with G6PD deficiency, to verify if there is an elevation of the activity of this enzyme, and try to correlate to a possible increase on the number of reticulocytes or the presence of alterations on red series. The research with 2657 male individuals detected 97 deficient for G6PD, which determined a 3.65% prevalence for the Bauru (SP) region, with mean enzymatic activity of 1.74 UI.g Hb-1. min-1 at 37ºC, 14,4% of the normal G6PD activity. Mean 6PGD enzymatic activity was 9.5 UI.g Hb-1. min-1 at 37ºC, and was elevated in 47.4% of the G6PD deficient individuals. The result obtained did not confirm the hypothesis that the elevation of the 6PGD enzymatic activity, in G6PD deficient individuals, was due to the presence of an increase of reticulocytes in blood stream, age or erythrocytometric alterations that could denote anemia. The most plausible theory is that the auto-limited hemolysis, imposed by oxidative processes, preserves young erythrocytes that have an elevated enzymatic activity, as naturally these enzymes lose activity with cellular aging.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency; 6-phosphogluconato dehydrogenase; reticulocytes; red blood cells
