S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and adenosine deaminase activities in human red cell ageing

Abstract The enzyme activities of S -adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, adenosine deaminase and pyruvate kinase were determined in normal human erythrocytes subpopulations of different ages separated by centrifugation on a discontinuous Percoll : NaCl density gradient. The levels of S -adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase activity were found to undergo a sharp decrease with red cell ageing. Adenosine deaminase activities were, however, less critically dependent on erythrocyte age.