Superoxide dismutase activity in red cell fractions from malnourished children

Red cell superoxide dismutase activity (CuSODA) is thought to be influenced by dietary intakes of copper. To test this hypothesis CuSODA was measured in the newly formed cells of fifteen severely malnourished children, given either a basal diet or the basal diet and copper supplements, during recovery from PEM. Cells were density fractionated using a discontinous density gradient of Percoll. Published methods were inadequate hence a new method was developed. A density gradient of Percoll containing thirteen different layers, with a density range of 1.076 g/ml to 1.108 g/ml, was used to fractionate red cells from the severely malnourished children. CuSODA and hemaglobin levels were measured in each fraction of cells. No differences were found in the CuSODA of children given a copper supplement, in addition to their regualr feeds, and children not given copper supplement. There was a rapid proliferation of new cells approximately two weeks after admission, in both groups. At discharge this reverted to a normal distribution skewed to the right, similar to the pattern at admission. It is concluded that (1) severely malnourished Jamaican children are not generally copper deficient, (2) diets given during rehabilitation are sufficient to prevent clinical copper deficiency, and (3) the response to dietary intakes of copper by red cell superoxide dismutase is variable and may involve a reconstitution of an apo-enzyme (AU)

Serum protein fractionation and quantitation by cellulose acetate electrophoresis on normal Jamaicans

Quantitation of serum proteins by cellulose acetate done on 319 voluntary blood donors in Jamaica showed significant increases in both y and b-globulins of the order of 0.5 gm and 0.35 gm/dl respectively. These studies re-emphasize the importance of relating laboratory results to local normal values as well as the employment of methods or techniques that are fairly well universally standardized and accurate. Further studies as to the precise reasons for these increases would probably best be done by Immunological Assays, particularly of the Immunoglobulins Ig G, A and M (AU)