THE IMPACT OF OXIDATIVE STRESS UPON MEMBRANE AND CYTOPLASMIC LIPIDS PEROXIDATION IN ERYTHROCYTES FROM HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH STROKE

Abstract

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of oxidative stress generated by stroke upon erythrocytes‘ membrane and plasma and upon antioxidant enzymes in hypertensive patients associated with stroke. Design and method: This study has been done on 80 patients:40 male and 40 female aged between 35–87 years old with arterial hypertension (AHT) associated with stroke from Emergency Universitary Hospital, Cardiology Clinic. Blood was collected by vein puncture from hypertensive and normotensive patients and processed by centrifugation at 3000 g at 4C. Lipid peroxidation in plasma and red blood cell membrane as well as thiol groups and GGT, GST, catalase and superoxid dismutase antioxidant enzymes have been evaluated using standard biochemical techniques. Results: Our data have pointed out that there is less lipid peroxidation in female patients with stroke (p < 0.05) where membrane fluidity is decreased due to activation of plasma and erythrocyte superoxid dismutase and catalase. The diminished catalase activity can be accounted for as a mechanism of glutathion peroxidase regulation. In male with stroke the low Catalase activity has been associated with an increased level of lipid peroxidation (p < 0.05) both in membrane and plasma, while concentration of cytoplasm thiols was low(p < 0.01)Concentration of free thiols in membrane is significantly increased(p < 0.01)in stroke patients despite the age or gender. Conclusions: Following stroke, there is a modification of antioxidant and detoxification potential of erythrocytes by decreasing their capacity to uptake GSH from plasma but also elimination of GSH conjugates.