Phosphine-Mediated Heinz Body Formation and Hemoglobin Oxidation in Human Erythrocytes

摘要

Exposure of human erythrocytes in vitro to phosphine (PH3) induces the development of Heinz body lesions. The lower limit for phosphine mediated Heinz body formation is 1.25 ppm for a four-hour exposure. At exposure levels of 3.0 ppm or higher all erythrocytes are observed to contain Heinz body lesions. These higher phosphine concentration levels have been observed to occur within certain occupational settings. The mechanism of phosphine mediated Heinz body formation depends upon an oxygen dependent hemoglobin oxidation with initial metHb formation before subsequent protein precipitation and hemichrome formation.