Changes in plasma phospholipids after intravenous phosphatidase A injection in the rabbit

Abstract

Intravenous injection of snake venom phosphatidase A into rabbits produced rapid and marked changes in the plasma phospholipids. Five to fifteen minutes after injection there was a marked decrease in plasma lecithin and an increase in plasma lysolecithin. At the same time red blood cell sphering had occurred and lysolecithin was found attached to the red blood cells. Within 2 hr after injection the plasma lysolecithin dropped toward normal, whereas plasma lecithin remained low. The decrease in plasma lysolecithin was paralleled by reversion of the spheric red cell shape to normal bidiscoid. Evidence was obtained for disappearance of plasma phospholipids from the blood stream after phosphatidase injection.