The Effect of Thiamine Deficiency on Human Erythrocyte Metabolism12

Abstract

Erythrocytes of patients with Wernicke''s encephalopathy, when incubated with methylene blue and C14 -labeled glucose, exhibited failure of the 1st carbon of pentose (the 2d carbon of the original glucose) to recycle to hexose and be recovered as radio-active CO2, indicating impaired transketolation of pentose to heptulose. The defect in transketolation was partially reversed after treatment of the patient with thiamine. In vitro addition of thiamine or cocarboxylase to deficient erythrocytes did not significantly alter the defect. Erythrocytes of patients with physical signs usually attributed to thiamine deficiency but without ophthalmoplegia exhibited methylene blue stimulated glucose catabolism in no way different from that of well-nourished controls.