526 XI. HEMOGLOBIN CATABOLISM, I 



Similar observations were made during the later stages of the reac- 

 tion between oxyhemoglobin and ascorbic acid (Chapter X, Sections 

 4.2.2. and 4.3.), while Liebecq {1738) has produced spectrophoto- 

 metric evidence for the presence of a colorless protein which still con- 

 tains iron as one of the reaction products during the formation of 

 pseudohemoglobin . 



A third line of evidence as to intracorpuscular hemoglobin break- 

 down after phenylhydrazine comes from Case's investigations on the 

 siderocyte (c/. this chapter, Section 10.3.1.). This is an erythrocyte 

 which contains granules which may be stained by the Prussian blue 

 or analogous histochemical reactions for free iron. In vitro up to 

 20% of the cells were found to be siderocytes 2 hours after 0.5 mg. 

 acetylphenylhydrazine had been added to 100 ml. citrated blood, 

 while 10% siderocytes were observed in a human subject after 4 

 days' treatment with 0.1 g. acetylphenylhydrazine per day. 



It is apparent from these results that the changes which are 

 observed in erythrocytes after phenylhydrazine treatment are entirely 

 consonant with choleglobin formation. The spectroscopic evidence, 

 the isolation of free biliverdin, the appearance of denatured globin 

 in the Heinz bodies, and the presence of labile iron all represent 

 aspects of a single process. In the remainder of this section any one 

 of these abnormalities will be taken as indicating intracorpuscular 

 breakdown. 



This view is now supported by the majority of workers in the field 

 {U5, m, 1031, 103]f,1525, 1529). 



5.4. Alteration of Erythrocyte Stability 



Many other substances will produce similar effects. Thus Case 

 {Jt.16) observed siderocytes after treatment of blood in vitro with 

 potassium dichromate, silver nitrate, lead nitrate, carbon tetra- 

 chloride, and carbon disulfide. The frequent occurrence of Heinz 

 bodies in intoxications has been referred to above; in addition to 

 hemiglobin and sulfhemoglobin, choleglobin has occasionally been 

 detected after administration of sulfonamides (1701,3007). "Verdo- 

 globin" which Kiese and Seipelt {1529) observed in dogs after dosage 

 with hydroxylamine and aromatic amino and nitro compounds, as 

 well as in rats when sulfur or thiosulfate was given in conjunction 

 with sulfonamides, was probably principally choleglobin and not 

 sulfhemoglobin, since the pigment disappeared from the cells after 

 2 to 3 days. 



