Methemoglobin Formation and Red Cell Metabolism of Guinea Pigs During Chronic Hypercapnia
Abstract
Recent studies of hypercapnia in guinea pigs and rats demonstrated a biphasic shift in the blood oxygen dissociation curve, a diminution of heme-heme interaction and a significant decrease in the oxygen capacity of blood which was not due to decreased hemoglobin content. The latter finding suggested production of non-functional hemoglobin during hypercapnia. We measured the concentration of oxidized (met) hemoglobin and found an increase from control values of 2.69% to 8.73% at 1 day, 6.4% at 3 days and 6.2% at 7 days of 15% CO2 exposure. The values are correlated with the biphasic changes in oxygen affinity (P50) and heme-heme interaction (n) of blood oxygen dissociation curves during hypercapnia. Hemoglobin oxidation is enhanced by low pH and inhibition of red cell catalase by CO2 resulting in increased oxidation by H2O2 may also be partially responsible for methemoglobin formation. The persistance of methemoglobin results from inhibition by low pH of the enzyme systems which convert methemoglobin to hemoglobin.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 03, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0731985
Entities
People
- Karl E. Schaefer
- Stephen C. Wood
Organizations
- Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory