An inherited molecular lesion of erythrocyte pyruvate kinase

Abstract

Atypical cases of heritable hemolytic anemia have been noted that conform clinically and biochemically to anemias of the pyruvatekinase (PK)-deficient type, except for the presence of apparently adequate quantities of erythrocyte-PK activity by the usual assay procedure. Investigations of four such anomalous cases, occurring in two unrelated families, are presented. Erythrocytes contained a kinetically aberrant isozyme of pyruvate kinase (PK₂). Michaelis constants for the pathologic isozyme relative to phosphoenolpyruvate were over 10-fold greater than control values, but no kinetic abnormality was evident for the second substrate, adenosine diphosphate. PK₂ exhibited a pH optimum almost 1 U lower than the wild enzyme form (PK₁). Significant differences were also evident in the functional stabilities of the isozymes. Leukocytes were unaffected. Family studies revealed paternal heterozygosity for quantitative PK deficiency of the usual type. Clinically normal maternal relatives and some siblings demonstrated intermediate deviations in erythrocyte-PK kinetics and reaction characteristics compatible with coexistence of normal PK₁ and kinetically abnormal PK₂. Hemolytic anemia in the propositi appeared to require simultaneous inheritance of the gene governing PK₂ production and its presumed allele resulting in quantitative PK deficiency. Both genetic defects were traced through three generations, the defective gene in both instances apparently resident on autosomes. A revision of the PK assay technique is suggested, since catalytic inefficiency of PK₂ was manifested only at low substrate concentrations and was therefore undetectable at the relatively high phosphoenolpyruvate levels employed in the conventional assay.