Spherocytic Hemolytic Disease During Magnesium Deprivation in the Rat

Young male rats (115 g) were maintained on diets containing 4-8 mg of magnesium per 100 g of diet for 12 wk. By 3 wk the characteristic features of magnesium deprivation developed, including decreased plasma and tissue magnesium concentration, growth retardation, ruffled fur, patchy dermatitis, irritability, hyperemia of acral parts, onychymegaly, and in the most severely restricted, premature death. By 7 wk of deprivation, evidence of a hemolytic state existed and thereafter reticulocytosis, spherocytosis, shortened ⁵¹Cr red cell survival, erythroid hyperplasia of the bone marrow, and mild anemia were present. Erythrocytes during magnesium deficiency were characterized by decreased intracellular magnesium, glucose utilization, lactate production, ATP and 2,3-DPG concentration. A progressive decrease in red cell deformability as measured by cell elastimetry occurred. The reduction in lactate production and in ATP concentration due to magnesium deficiency may be causal in the development of rigid spherocytes with shortened survival in vivo. In addition, the shape and deformability alteration of the red cell may be due to defective membrane construction in a magnesium-deficient environment.