Erythrocyte spectrin peak II phosphorylation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rapidly progressive crippling disease of young boys that is inherited as an X-linked recessive trait. Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of erythrocyte studies in exploring membrane abnormalities in inherited muscular dystrophy. Erythrocyte spectrin peak II protein (m.w. {reversed tilde equals} 220,000) was more highly phosphorylated under initial rate conditions in DMD than in controls. The extent of peak II phosphorylation was greater in DMD erythrocytes and a Na⁺ stimulated peak II phosphorylation effect (Avruch and Fairbanks 1974) was not found to account for the differences between DMD and controls. The phosphorylated state of spectrin proteins in the membrane was evaluated and no differences in DMD could be measured. The maximal transfer of phosphate from [γ-³²P]ATP to spectrin peak II accounts for approximately 5-10% of the total phosphate content of spectrin.