[Hereditary spherocytosis: one year study of erythrocyte membrane proteins].

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a congenital hemolytic anemia which affects one person out of 5000 in Northern Europe. HS is caused by defects of the red cell membrane proteins involving mainly ankyrin or band 3, and less frequently, protein 4.2 or spectrin. The reduction of red cell osmotic resistance and the recognition of spherocytes on the peripheral blood smear are the primary laboratory tests necessary to evocate a diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis. Analysis of the red cell membrane proteins using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is used to quantify individual proteins and to identify the protein defect related to a diagnosis of HS. Samples from 47 patients and 25 controls were studied by electrophoresis of the red cell membrane proteins. Protein deficiencies related to HS were demonstrated for 21 patients. In 4 other cases, abnormalities of membrane proteins unrelated to HS were also demonstrated. Electrophoresis of the red cell membrane proteins allows the identification of the protein deficiency related to HS and thus confirms the diagnosis of HS, but also points to the underlying molecular defect, the inheritance pattern and the clinical aspects of the disease.