Reduced transport of adenosine in erythrocytes from patients with beta-thalassaemia.

The transport of adenosine into blood from beta-thalassaemia subjects was measured to provide a background to the relationship between resistance of malaria infection and beta-thalassaemia. Adenosine transport was significantly reduced in the abnormal cells in the blood samples. As adenosine is one of the major purines salvaged by P. falciparum malaria, we suggest that the resistance to malaria in beta-thalassaemia subjects may be due to a nutrient deficiency in the abnormal red cells.