Studies on Ammocytes: Development, Metabolic Characteristics, and Detoxication of Ammonium

• Published in: Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine Vol. 146; no. 6; pp. 730 - 732
• Main Authors: Venediktova, N. I, Kosenko, E. A, Kaminsky, Yu. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Boston : Springer US 01.12.2008; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: ammonium; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biophysics and Biochemistry; biotechnology; Cell Biology; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; enzymology; erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - enzymology; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Glutamate Synthase; Glutamate Synthase - metabolism; glutamate synthase encapsulation; Hexokinase; Hexokinase - metabolism; Hyperammonemia; Hyperammonemia - therapy; Internal Medicine; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Laboratory Medicine; Male; metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Pathology; Phosphofructokinases; Phosphofructokinases - metabolism; Pyruvate Kinase; Pyruvate Kinase - metabolism; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds - metabolism; therapy; ammonium; biotechnology; erythrocytes; glutamate synthase encapsulation
• ISSN: 0007-4888; 1573-8221; 1573-8221
• DOI: 10.1007/s10517-009-0388-3

The possibility of reducing ammonium concentration in the blood of mice with hyperammonemia with ammocytes (erythrocytes loaded with glutamate synthase) and the metabolic characteristics of these cells were studied. Injection of ammocytes into the blood stream of animals with hyperammonemia led to reduction of the blood ammonium concentration within the first 30-120 min and this activity of ammocytes was retained for at least 2 days. Endogenous phosphofructokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, and Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase in ammocytes remained at the levels of catalytic activities characteristic of intact erythrocytes. Hence, ammocytes are functionally active cells and can be used as a protective system in pathological hyperammonemia, while the method can be regarded as a new technology for medicine and veterinary.