Association of serum arginase I with oxidative stress in a healthy population

The association of serum arginase I with oxidative stress was evaluated cross-sectionally in a healthy population. The mean levels of serum arginase I in healthy people (n = 278) were 32.6 ± 22.3 ng/ml. Significant correlations of arginase I were observed with age, WBC, RBC, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), uric acid, body mass index (BMI) and urinary 8-isoprostane. Multiple regression analysis showed significant associations of arginase I with WBC, RBC, urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), age, HbA1c and urinary 8-isoprostane. In the associations of arginase I with 8-OHdG, 8-isoprostane and HbA1c, confounding factors and lifestyle factors such as sex, old age, smoking and alcohol consumption were involved. It was concluded that serum arginase I was associated with oxidative stress and HbA1c in addition to age, WBC and RBC in healthy Japanese people and may become a new biomarker for early prediction of diabetes mellitus and other oxidative stress-related diseases.