Biochemical and biophysical characterization of hemoglobin of erythrocytes from patients suffering from iron deficiency anemia: A pilot study.

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a substantial global health concern, affecting nearly 1 billion individuals worldwide, and women are the more vulnerable due to their various reproductive phases. This study examines physicochemical aspects of erythrocytes in IDA women, especially in reproductive-age women in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Methods: Fifteen IDA women and eight healthy women aged 25 to 45 years were selected, and only ten volunteers fulfilled the IDA criteria. Observations: Scanning electron microscopic study revealed the formation of echinocytes, indicating asymmetry in the lipid bilayer of the erythrocyte membrane. Although native-PAGE did not show any remarkable change in hemoglobin structure, absorption spectra indicated structural abnormality in the globin chain of hemoglobin. Increased methemoglobin (metHb) formation rate (higher co-oxidation rate) and increased metHb content in the membrane-bound hemoglobin are clear indications of the alteration of physicochemical property of hemoglobin, which may affect erythrocyte life span in IDA. Conclusion: The hemoglobin of IDA individuals is not only quantitatively low, but the quality is also compromised by its structure, and the morphology of erythrocytes is also altered.