Carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme B in erythrocytes of subjects with chronic obstructive lung disease.

Abstract

A specific and quantitative immunological method for the determination of human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase (HCA) isoenzyme B has been used to determine the contents of enzyme in the erythrocytes from healthy persons and from subjects with chronic obstructive lung disease. The investigations have shown a statistically significant increase of HCA type B in the erythrocytes of subjects suffering from chronic obstructive lung disease and hypercapnia. Subjects with chronic obstructive lung disease and normal PaCO2 showed no difference from normal subjects. No correlation was found between PaCO2 and human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase.