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Thiol metabolism in preterm infants during the first week of life

T Ahola1, A-L Levonen, V Fellman

  • 1Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Biomedicum, 4th floor, P.O. Box 700, FL-00029 Helsinki, Finland. terhi.ahola@helsinku.fi

Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
|October 30, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Preterm infants show initial increases in plasma glutathione and decreases in plasma cysteine during their first week. Erythrocyte cysteine and glutathione levels are positively correlated, highlighting antioxidant system dynamics in neonates.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Oxidative Stress Research

Background:

  • Oxidative stress contributes to complications in premature infants.
  • The glutathione cycle is a key intracellular antioxidant system.
  • Preterm neonates may have inadequate glutathione synthesis due to low cysteine availability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate cysteine and glutathione metabolism in preterm infants during the first week of life.
  • To investigate the relationship between cysteine and glutathione levels in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Measured plasma and erythrocyte thiol concentrations in 78 preterm infants (500-1500 g birthweight).
  • Assessed erythrocyte enzyme activities (glutamate-cysteine ligase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferases, glucose 6-phosphatedehydrogenase) in 26 infants (1000-1500 g birthweight).

Main Results:

  • Plasma glutathione increased initially (day 0-1), while plasma cysteine decreased. Infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) had lower initial plasma glutathione.
  • Erythrocyte glutathione decreased, but erythrocyte cysteine increased significantly from day 3-7, showing a positive correlation.
  • Glutathione S-transferases and glucose 6-phosphatedehydrogenase activities decreased; glutathione peroxidase activity decreased until day 3 and was higher in infants with RDS on days 0-1.

Conclusions:

  • Very low birthweight infants exhibit an initial rise in plasma glutathione and a fall in plasma cysteine within the first week.
  • A positive correlation exists between erythrocyte cysteine and glutathione levels in preterm neonates.
  • These findings shed light on the dynamic antioxidant metabolism in preterm infants and its potential link to conditions like RDS.
Abstract

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