Carbon Monoxide (CO) Modulates Surface Architectonics and Energy Metabolism of Human Blood Erythrocytes.

Scanning electron microscopy study showed that exposure to CO for 60, 75, and 90 min induced heterogeneous changes in erythrocyte population. Increasing the duration of exposure of blood erythrocytes to CO was followed by the appearance of cells with morphological changes. The formation of discocytes with processes (≥1) was followed by the appearance of "deflated ball"-shaped erythrocytes. Moreover, CO modulated activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in human erythrocytes and disturbed their energy metabolism (suppressed lactate dehydrogenase activity in forward reaction and increased it in reverse reaction). A significant decrease in the coefficient of energy metabolism of erythrocytes (from 36±14 to 5.0±2.5 arb. units) reflected metabolic maladaptation induced by the exposure to CO.