Acanthocytosis with normolipoproteinaemia: biophysical aspects

Erythrocyte anion transporter and antibrain immunoreactivity in chorea-acanthocytosis. A contribution to etiology, genetics, and diagnosis

Novel structural and functional alterations in the erythrocyte anion transporter band 3 are described in one patient with definite, and in two patients with symptoms compatible with chorea-acanthocytosis, but without acanthocytes. Immunoblotting analysis shows increased fragmentation of band 3, and sulfate flux measurements indicate that anion transport activity is reduced in the erythrocytes of these patients. These changes are similar, but not identical to those observed during normal erythrocyte aging. In addition, distinct antibrain immunoreactivity was present in the plasma of these patients. A family study indicates that abnormal erythrocyte band 3 structure and function and antibrain immunoreactivity may be phenotypes of two independent, genetically determined factors, that are part of the heterogenic defect of chorea-acanthocytosis. The findings in the patients without acanthocytes indicate that the biochemical abnormalities may be related to a chorea-acanthocytosis-like, amyotrophic extrapyramidal movement disorder with axonal neuropathy. Measurement of erythrocyte sulfate transport and plasma antibrain immunoreactivity could be of use in establishing the diagnosis and further unravelling the genetic background of chorea-acanthocytosis and related syndromes.

Familial degeneration of the basal ganglia with acanthocytosis: a clinical, neuropathological, and neurochemical study

Three siblings, offspring of normal consanguineous parents, had a progressive neurological disorder characterized primarily by chorea and leading to death in the fourth or fifth decade. The most carefully studied patient had neither malabsorption nor absent serum beta-lipoprotein but did have erythrocyte acanthocytosis. Postmortem examination showed marked neuronal loss and gliosis of the caudate nucleus and putamen. Activities of glutamic acid decarboxylase and choline acetyltransferase were normal in cortex, caudate, and putamen. Autosomal recessive inheritance, acanthocytosis, and probable peripheral neuropathy help differentiate this disorder from Huntington's disease.

Surface charge of erythrocytes in paroxysmal nocturnal haemogloninuria

The electrophoretic mobility of erythrocytes from 3 patients with PNH was measured by standard techniques. Erythrocyte mobility is a measure of the net negative surface charge of these cells. In each of the 3 patients studied in mobility was significantly increased over normal cells indicating that there is an increase in negative surface charge of PNH erythrocytes. Following the Ham's and sucrose lysis tests; surviving cells showed mean mobilities that were not statistically different from normal cells. This suggests that these cells with higher surface charge are vulnerable to complement lysis.

Acanthocytosis, normolipoproteinaemia and multiple tics

A chronic degenerative neurological disorder is described which is characterized by tics, grimacing, involuntary movements, a severe disturbance of swallowing and a concurrent malformation of the erythrocytes. This condition is clearly different from familial hypo-betalipoproteinaemia and abetalipoproteinaemia, the two previously described neurological disorders associated with abnormal red cells.