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Differences between antioxidant defense parameters and specific trace element concentrations in healthy, benign, and
Slavica Borković-Mitić1, Aleksandar Stojsavljević2,3, Ljiljana Vujotić4,5
1Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research, "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia. borkos@ibiss.bg.ac.rs.
Oxidative stress impacts antioxidant systems and trace elements in brain tumors. Findings reveal distinct patterns in benign and malignant tissues, suggesting a role in disease pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Neuroscience
- Oncology
Background:
- Oxidative stress is implicated in brain tumor development, but its specific impact on antioxidant systems and trace elements remains underexplored.
- Limited research exists on the comparative analysis of antioxidant system (AOS) parameters and trace elements in benign brain tumors (BT), malignant brain tumors (MT), and control tissues (CT).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in AOS parameters and key trace elements in benign and malignant brain tissues compared to control tissues.
- To examine correlations between these parameters within different brain tumor groups.
- To identify specific biomarkers for distinguishing between tumor types and control tissue.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of multiple AOS parameters including superoxide dismutase (TotSOD, MnSOD, CuZnSOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase, and acetylcholine esterase (AChE).
- Quantification of glutathione, sulfhydryl groups, and trace elements: manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se).
- Statistical analysis including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to differentiate between control, benign, and malignant tissues.
Main Results:
- Benign and malignant brain tumors exhibited altered AOS parameters and trace element levels compared to control tissues, indicating adaptive responses to oxidative stress.
- Low MnSOD and AChE activities, along with high GST activity, were significant indicators differentiating malignant tumors from control tissues.
- Malignant tissues showed lower concentrations of manganese and copper relative to control and benign tissues. PCA effectively discriminated between the groups.
- Selenium showed strong correlations in benign tumors, while copper was highly correlated in malignant tumors.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in AOS parameters and essential trace elements between control, benign, and malignant brain tissues.
- Observed dysregulations in oxidative stress markers suggest a crucial role in disrupting brain homeostasis and the pathogenesis of brain tumors.
- Specific AOS parameters and trace elements may serve as potential biomarkers for brain tumor diagnosis and classification.
