Oxidative stress in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Syburra C, Passi S
Ukr Biokhim Zh 1999 May-Jun 71:112-5
Abstract
It is well known that brain and nervous system cells are prone to oxidative
damage because of their relatively low content of antioxidants, especially
enzymatic ones, and of the high levels of both membrane polyunsaturated
fatty acids (PUFA) and iron easily released from injured cells. We have
investigated the oxidative stress in the blood (plasma, erythrocytes and
lymphocytes) of 28 patients affected with multiple sclerosis (MS) and of 30
healthy age matched controls, by performing a multiparameter analysis of
non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidantsVitamin E (Vit. E), ubiquinone
(UBI), reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH, GS-SG), superoxide dismutase
(SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and fatty acid patterns
of phospholipids (PL-FA). PL-FA and Vit. E were assayed by GC-MS; UBI and
GSH/GS-SG by HPLC; SOD, GPX and CAT by spectrophotometry. In comparison to
controls, patients with MS showed significantly reduced levels of plasma UBI
(0.21 ± 0.10 vs. 0.78 ± 0.08 mg/ml, p < 0.001), plasma Vit. E (7.4 ±
2.1 vs. 11.4 ± 1.8 mg/ml, p < 0.01), lymphocyte UBI (8.1 ± 4.0 vs. 30.3
± 7.2 ng/ml blood, p < 0.001) and erythrocyte GPX (22.6 ± 5.7 vs. 36.3
± 6.4 U/g Hb, p < 0.001). This blood antioxidant deficiency was associated
with plasma levels of PL-PUFAespecially C20:3 n-6 and C20:4
n-6—significantly higher than controls. In conclusion, the blood of
patients with MS shows the signs of a significant oxidative stress. The
possibility of counteracting it by antioxidant administration plus an
appropriate diet, might represent a promising way of inhibiting the
progression of the disease. Antioxidant supplements should include not only
GSH repleting agents, but also Vit. E, ubiquinol, and selenium.
MeSH
Adult; Antioxidants; Case-Control Studies; Chromatography, High Pressure
Liquid; Fatty Acids; Human; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis; Oxidative
Stress; Phospholipids; Spectrum Analysis; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
