Oxidant stress and antioxidant protection in lupus nephropathy

In a group of 65 patients with lupus nephropathy the level of lipid peroxidation and of the capacity of antioxidant protection was followed up as influenced by the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), of catalase (CAT) and of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) as well as of the concentration of glutathione. The determinations were made in total blood and the results were compared with those obtained in a control group of 30 apparently healthy subjects. The degree of lipid peroxidation seemed to be correlated with the extent of proteinuria. As compared with the normal values the activity of the three enzymes studied was decreased and did not correlate with the level of proteinuria. The decreased SOD and GSH-Px seemed to be relatively compensated by CAT activity. The level of GSH was also decreased as compared with the control values and did not correlate with the value of proteinuria. It is concluded that the great variation of individual values could be explained by the multifactorial character of the disease as well as by the metabolic response specific for every patient and by the mechanisms possibly related to the onset of renal disease.