Oxidative stress and coenzyme Q10 supplementation in renal transplant recipients

Recently some reports about the oxidative stress in renal transplant recipients have been published. The role of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as radical scavanger is largely known. The aim of our study was to evaluate the protective role of CoQ10 in renal transplant recipients on lipid peroxidation and lipids parameters, as well as its influence on antioxidant enzymes, neutrophils chemiluminescence and urinary enzymes. The study was performed in 11 long term allograft recipients treated additionally with CoQ10 90 mg/day in three doses, 30 mg each for four weeks. The malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the basic parameters of lipid metabolism such as total cholesterol (TC), high and low density lipoproteins (HDL, LDL), triglycerides (TG), atherogenicity indicators [LDL/HDL; (TC-HDL)/HDL] were evaluated. The chemiluminescence of neutrophils (luminol, fLMP-method) were mesured and the activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), alanylaminopeptidase (AAP), elastase, alpha-1-antitrypsin. All parameters were estimated before and after CoQ10 treatment. Statistically significant changes were noticed with the LDL and atherogenicity indicators (p < 0.01) (decrease) as well as HDL level (p < 0.001) (increase). Also the significant decrease of fMLP stimulated PMNL chemiluminescence (p < 0.05) confirms the antioxidative properties of CoQ10. The significant increase of NAG activity (p < 0.05) can't be the result of nephrotoxic effect, because NAG-B is unchanged. Serum concentration of creatinine and cyclosporine A in renal allograft recipients was unchanged after CoQ10 treatment. The presented date shows that further study with CoQ10 treatment in renal transplant in larger numbers and over longer periods should be considered.