<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-IN;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-IN">Inhibition of membrane Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase of the brain, liver and RBC in rats administered di(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) a plasticizer used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blood storage bags</span>

Abstract

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-IN">Significant amounts of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) leach out into blood stored in DEHP plasticized poly vinyl chloride (PVC) bags resulting in the exposure of recipients of blood transfusion to this compound. The aim of this stud y was to find out whether DEHP at these low levels has any effect on the activity of membrane Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase, since a decrease in this enzyme activity has been reported to take place in a number of disorders like neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, coronary artery disease and stroke, syndrome-X, tumours etc. DEHP was administered (ip) at a low dose of 750μg/100 g body weight to rats and the activity of membrane Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase in liver, brain and RBC was estimated. Histopathology of brain, activity of HMG CoA reductase (a major rate limiting enzyme in the isoprenoid pathway of which digoxin, the physiological inhibitor of Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase is a product), intracellular concentration of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in RBC (which is altered as a result of inhibition of Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase) were also studied. (In the light of the observation of increase of intracellular Ca²⁺ load and intracellular depletion of Mg²⁺ when Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase is inhibited). Histopathology of brain revealed areas of degeneration in the rats administered DEHP. There was significant inhibition of membrane Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase in brain, liver and RBC. Intracellular Ca²⁺ increased in the RBC while in tracellular Mg²⁺ decreased. However activity of hepatic HMG CoA reductase decreased. Activity of Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase and HMG CoA reductase, however returned to normal levels within 7 days of stopping administration of DEHP. The inhibition of membrane Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase activity by DEHP may indicate the possibility of predisposing recipients of transfusion of blood or hemodialysis to the various disorders mentioned above. However since this effect is reversed when DEHP administration is stopped, it may not be a serious problem in the ca se of a few transfusion; but in patients receiving repeated blood transfusion as in thalassemia patients or patients undergoing hemodialysis, possibility of this risk has to be considered. This inhibition is a direct effect of DEHP or its metabolites, since activity of HMG CoA reductase, (an enzyme which catalyses a major rate limiting step in the isoprenoid pathway by which digoxin, the phys iological inhibitor of Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase is synthesized) showed a decrease.</span>