[Clinical significance of red cell ferritin H and L subunits in myelodysplastic syndrome].

Ferritin H (heavy) and L (light) subunits in red cells were determined in normal subjects, patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and other haematological disorders by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies to ferritin H and L subunits. The mean contents of ferritin H and L subunits in red cells in healthy individuals were H 8.0 + 0.8 attogram (ag)/cell (lag = 10 x 10(-18)g)(mean +/- SE), L 4.8 +/- 0.4 ag/cell respectively. The values of both subunits in normal male (H 10.5 +/- 1.3 ag/cell, L 5.9 +/- 0.7 ag/cell) were significantly higher than those of normal female (H 5.4 +/- 0.8 ag/cell, L 3.9 +/- 0.5 ag/cell). Significantly elevated H and L subunit contents in red cells were observed in patients with refractory anemia (RA)(H 138.2 +/- 72.0 ag/cell, L 57.0 +/- 20.9 ag/cell) and refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB)(H 97.4 +/- 36.9 ag/cell, L 49.3 +/- 18.4 ag/cell) as compared with those of normal subjects. On the other hand, both parameters decreased in patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA)(H 2.4 +/- 0.3 ag/cell, L 1.5 +/- 0.3 ag/cell). H/L ratio in patients with RA (2.7 +/- 0.5) was significantly higher than those of normal subjects (1.8 +/- 0.1) indicating relative increase of red cell ferritin H subunit in patient with MDS. The measurement of red cell ferritin H and L subunits by ELISA could be useful for evaluating dyserythropoiesis or ineffective hemopoiesis in MDS.