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Erythrocyte antioxidant status in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic men
1Laboratoire de Biochimie Appliquée, Faculté de Pharmacie, Châtenay-Malabry, France.
Insights
Asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic men show reduced red blood cell vitamin E levels and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. Red blood cell vitamin E may indicate early oxidative stress in atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
- Oxidative Stress Studies
Background:
- Oxidative stress, an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants, is implicated in atherosclerosis development.
- Previous research suggests a role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the antioxidant status in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic (HC) men compared to normocholesterolemic (NC) men.
- To assess erythrocyte susceptibility to oxidative stress in HC men.
Main Methods:
- Compared red blood cell (RBC) vitamin E, plasma vitamin E, and HDL vitamin E levels between HC and NC groups.
- Measured erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities.
- Assessed RBC resistance to oxidative stress via induced hemolysis.
Main Results:
- HC men exhibited significantly lower RBC vitamin E content than NC men.
- RBC resistance to oxidative stress was significantly decreased in HC men.
- No significant differences were found in erythrocyte enzymatic antioxidant activities between groups.
Conclusions:
- Asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic men display an altered antioxidant status in RBCs.
- Increased erythrocyte susceptibility to oxidative stress is evident in HC men.
- RBC vitamin E levels may serve as a sensitive marker for early oxidative stress in atherosclerosis.
Abstract:
An imbalance between antioxidant and oxidant-generating systems leading to an oxidative stress has already been proposed in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In the present study we investigated the antioxidant status in 60 asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic (HC) men compared with 48 normocholesterolemic (NC) men. Hypercholesterolemic subjects had a significantly lower red blood cell vitamin E (vit E-RBC) content in spite of their normal total plasma and HDL vitamin E concentrations. Activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were not significantly different between groups. We also determined the resistance of RBCs to an oxidative stress by determining the extent of hemolysis induced by a water-soluble azo-compound. This resistance was significantly decreased in HC men compared with NC subjects. These results demonstrate an altered antioxidant status of RBC in asymptomatic HC men associated with an increased erythrocyte susceptibility to an oxidative stress. The measure of the vitamin E content in RBC might be the most sensitive parameter for evidencing early oxidative stress which does not need an adaptation of enzymatic protective systems.