[Adenomatous and inflammatory colorectal polyps: antioxidative enzyme activity in the colon]

Reactive types of oxygen play an important part also in carcinogenesis. Antioxidant enzymes are the primary defence against their damage. The objective of the present work was to glutathione peroxidase in the mucosa and polyps of the colon in subjects with colorectal adenoma and idiopathic proctocolitis.

The authors examined 18 controls, 43 patients with colorectal adenoma and 12 subjects with idiopathic proctocolitis. During endoscopy bioptic specimens of the mucosa and from polyps were taken for histological and enzymological examination: Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase. In subjects with colorectal adenoma a raised glutathione peroxidase activity was found in the colon and an elevated activity of superoxide dismutase in the adenoma. In patients with idiopathic proctocolitis in the stage of clinical remission in the mucosa a lower glutathione peroxidase activity was found but a high activity of all enzymes was recorded in the inflamed polyps.

The cause of elevated activities of antioxidant enzymes in subjects with colorectal adenoma in the colonic mucosa and in adenomas is not known and calls for further studies. In patients with idiopathic proctocolitis the increased level of antioxidant enzymes in the mucosa is probably produced by a higher production of reactive oxygen types by activated leucocytes in the inflamed tissues.