Sex differences in adenosine deaminase activity of stroke patients

Abstract

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) catalyzes the irreversible hydrolytic deamination of adenosine to inosine. The purpose of this study was to determine the plasma activities of total adenosine deaminase (ADA T), and its isoenzymes, ADA1 and ADA2, and ADA1/ADA2 ratio of male and female ischemic stroke patients. We determined activities of plasma ADA T, ADA1, ADA2 and ADA1/ADA2 ratio in 30 patients (15 men and 15 women) with acute ischemic stroke within 12 h of the onset of the attack, as well as in 30 control subjects (15 men and 15 women) of comparable age. There were significant differences between the ADA1 activity and ADA1/ADA2 ratio in male and female stroke patients (p<0.05). Compared with male stroke subjects, females had higher ADA1 activity and ADA1/ADA2 ratios. There were no significant differences between activities of ADA T and ADA2 in men and women of the stroke and control groups. In addition, the Canadian Neurological Scale in men was significantly higher than that of women in the stroke group (p<0.05). Our results suggest that the primary mechanism in men with ischemic stroke might involve the reduction of ADA1 activity. The reduction is probably an adaptation mechanism for induced increase in adenosine availability and protection of brain to ischemic injury.