Increased chloride transport in erythrocytes in Huntington's disease

Summary

Studies of ³⁶Cl⁻ efflux across erythrocyte membranes in controls and Huntington's disease have been performed. An increased rate constant for ³⁶Cl⁻ efflux in fresh Huntington's disease erythrocytes compared to normal controls was observed (P<0.01) in blind studies. Chloride transport is regulated in human erythrocytes at the external aspect of Band 3, the major red cell transmembrane protein. The present results on tissue completely outside the central nervous system are consistent with our suggestion that Huntington's disease is associated with a generalized membrane defect located at the external cell surface [Butterfield et al (1980) Life Sciences 27, 609–615].