Radiation-Induced Oua.bain-Insensitive K⁺ Exchange of Erythrocytes under the Quasi-Physiological Conditions

Abstract

Erythrocytes irradiated with ⁶⁰Co γ-rays took up more extracellular ⁴²K⁺ and released more intracellular ⁴²K⁺ during and immediately after irradiation at 37°C than did unirradiated control. The result of K⁺ transport was contrasted with the well-known K⁺ loss on prolonged incubation. However, total K⁺ and ATP levels in irradiated cells did not change significantly under the same conditions. Such radiation-induced K⁺ exchange was insensitive to 1 mM ouabain, an inhibitor of active transport, but sensitive to 20 mM NaF, an inhibitor of glycolysis. These results suggest that this K⁺ exchange is associated with glycolysis, but not with ouabainsensitive ATPase.