Thiamine transport by erythrocytes and ghosts in thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anaemia

A 9-year study of thiamine metabolism and cellular transport was performed in two patients with thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anaemia associated with diabetes mellitus and sensorineural deafness, in their relatives, and in age-matched controls from the same area. The ratios between the content of thiamine and that of its phosphoesters in erythrocytes were within the normal range, whereas the absolute values of thiamine and thiamine compounds were reduced by about 40% as compared to controls. Thiamine pyrophosphokinase activity was about 30% lower than in controls. Thiamine treatment restored the levels of thiamine and thiamine compounds to normal values, whereas kinase was unaffected. Both the saturable (specific, predominant at low, less than 2 mumol/L, physiological concentrations of thiamine) and the non-saturable component of thiamine transport were investigated. Erythrocytes and ghosts from patients exhibited no saturable component, this abnormality being specific for the patients and not shared by their parents. It is concluded that the cells from thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anaemia patients contain low levels of thiamine compounds, probably due to their inability to take up and retain physiological concentrations of thiamine, as a result of the lack of the saturable, specific component of transport and reduced thiamine pyrophosphokinase.