The Effect of Copper and Copper·o-Phenanthroline Complex on Cattle Erythrocytes

The effect of CuSO4 and copper·o-phenanthroline complex (CuP) on cattle erythrocytes was investigated in vitro. When treated with CuSO4, depletion of intracellular GSH, increase of methemoglobin formation and marked echinocytic changes of the erythrocytes were observed. These effects of CuSO4 were prevented by the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the incubation medium. On the other hand, the addition of o-phenanthroline accelerated the toxic effects of CuSO4 on the erythrocytes resulting in the GSH depletion, methemoglobin formation, echinocytic transformation and cross-linking of membrane proteins. These CuP-induced changes were not inhibited by BSA. Echinocytic transformation and the cross-linking of membrane proteins in CuP-treated cells were almost completely inhibited by the prior treatment of N-ethylmaleimide.