Age-associated changes in erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity: correlation with total antioxidant potential

Oxidative stress is believed to play a central role in aging and age-associated diseases. It leads to oxidative changes in human red blood cells (RBCs) in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we evaluated the oxidative damage to the erythrocytes during aging in the humans using RBC as a model, by measuring the cytosolic antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. GPx activity was found to be significantly decreased as a function of human age and positively correlated with total antioxidant capacity, while negatively correlated with SOD activity. Thus, results of the present study showed involvement of oxidative stress as one of the risk factors, which can initiate and/or promote human aging.