RECOVERY STUDY FROM ANEMIA AND ALTERATIONS OF GLUTATHIONE METABOLISM IN ERYTHROCYTES INDUCED BY CHRONIC INHALATION OF ETHYLENE OXIDE

A study was made on the recovery from anemia induced by chronic exposure of ethylene oxide. When rats were exposed to ethylene oxide at a concentration of 500 ppm, 6 h a day, 3 d a week for 13 wk, macrocytic normochromic anemia with a high reticulocyte count was observed. The hematological values were also evaluated 4 and 13 wk after the end of exposure and the values were found to have already recovered at 4 wk. We reported previously that anemia induced by ethylene oxide was accompanied with a decrease in glutathione reductase activity and instability of glutathione. In this study, alterations of glutathione redox cycle after the end of exposure were examined. The recovery in the decrease of glutathione reductase was slow and the speed of recovery seemed to be dependent on the life span of erythrocytes of the rats. The decrease in glutathione content completely recovered at 4 wk after the exposure. It was concluded from these observations that anemia induced by ethylene oxide is reversible.