Erythrocyte sodium-potassium-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activity is not related to obesity

Altered erythrocyte sodium potassium (Na,K)-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity has been cited as having pathophysiologic significance in morbidly obese man. Previous studies have failed to consider obese patients after weight loss and, therefore, did not clarify the role of ATPase deficiency as a cause or effect of the obese state. To define more completely the possible alteration of cellular thermogenesis in obesity, a study was made of three groups of people: (1) normal weight controls; (2) morbidly obese; and (3) formerly morbidly obese patients who had lost over 100 pounds after gastric bypass surgery. Erythrocyte ATPase activity was determined by use of an assay that coupled ATPase activity with NADH oxidation in the presence of excess pyruvate kinase, lactic dehydrogenase, and phosphoenolpyruvate. This coupled assay produced a continuous slope so that activity could be calculated from the initial, maximal, linear portion of the decay trace. Results did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences in Na,K-ATPase activity between groups by analysis of variance. A nonsignificant correlation of 0.086 was seen between obesity index and Na,K-ATPase activity. It is concluded that (1) erythrocyte Na,K-ATPase activity is similar in both normal and obese individuals, (2) erythrocyte Na,K-ATPase does not change with weight loss, and (3) therefore, disordered erythrocyte thermogenesis does not have a role in the development or maintenance of obesity.