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Measurement of red blood cell‐vitamin B12: A study of the correlation between intracellular B12 content and concentrations of plasma holotranscobalamin II
Author(s) -
Tisman G.,
Vu T.,
Amin J.,
Luszko G.,
Brenner M.,
Ramos M.,
Flener V.,
Cordts V.,
Bateman R.,
Malkin S.,
Browder T.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.2830430313
Subject(s) - vitamin b12 , cobalamin , medicine , endocrinology , red blood cell , methylmalonic acid
We have recently reported a new and rapid assay to measure plasma holotranscobalamin II (holo TC II) as a means of exploring vitamin B12 status. In order to further evaluate the significance of plasma holo TC II in determining tissue cobalamin, we have chosen the red blood cell‐vitamin B12 (RBC‐B12) assay as a measure of tissue vitamin B12 content and studied the relationship between RBC‐B12 and plasma holo TC II levels. Plasma holo TC II and RBC‐B12 concentrations were concomitantly assayed in 20 hematologically normal controls and cancer patients. In our groups of controls, the mean value of RBC‐B12 was determined as 241 ± 51 pg/ml of packed erythrocytes (PE) with a range varying from 180 to 355 pg/ml PE. Preliminary results obtained in 32 cancer patients revealed lower holo TC II and RBC‐B12 levels than the control group and a required threshold value of 70 pg/ml of holo TC II in order to maintain a normal RBC‐B12 greater than 180 pg/ml PE.