Oxidative Stress End Products Research Articles

Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity in saliva of periodontitis patients: effect of smoking and periodontal treatment

The aim of this study was to measure lipid peroxidation (as an end product of oxidative stress) and corresponding antioxidant activity in patients with periodontitis and assess the influence of smoking and periodontal treatment on these parameters. Thirty healthy subjects (including 15 smokers) were compared to periodontitis patients (n = 30, including 15 smokers). Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and the total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were recorded in saliva. The lowest level of lipid peroxidation (MDA) was measured in saliva in the non-smoking periodontally healthy subjects (0.065 +/- 0.05 micromol/l). MDA levels were significantly higher in periodontitis patients who smoked (0.123 +/- 0.08 micromol/l) compared to non-smoking controls (0.065 +/- 0.05 micromol/l; p < 0.05). The periodontally healthy subjects demonstrated significantly lower levels of GSHPx (antioxidative parameter) than the periodontitis group (p < 0.05). The TAOC flow rate (delivered antioxidant components within saliva) was significantly lower in patients with periodontitis (0.34 +/- 0.26 micromol/ml) in comparison to the controls (0.62 +/- 0.24 micromol/ml; p < 0.05). Patients with periodontitis demonstrate more lipid peroxidation than healthy subjects, and this effect is enhanced by smoking. Imbalance between oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity may play a role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Non-surgical periodontal treatment leads to a reduction of MDA and GSHPx to levels comparable to healthy controls.

Accumulation of advanced glycation end products in intensive care patients

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the course and eventual outcome of a majority of patients admitted to the ICU. Markers to estimate oxidative stress are not readily available in a clinical setting. Recently, advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), compounds that accumulate with age and play an important role in the development of end organ damage in several conditions, have emerged as one of the very few stable end products of oxidative stress. Skin autofluorescence (AF) is a validated marker of tissue content of AGEs, and can be rapidly and noninvasively measured. We hypothesized that AGEs, measured by AF accumulate in ICU patients, are a prognostic factor for outcome.

Amino Thiols, Detoxification and Oxidative Stress in Pre-Eclampsia and Other Disorders of Pregnancy

New knowledge of placental development and function suggests that several common complications of pregnancy could share a similar origin. It is suggested that impaired placental development in early pregnancy may lead to placental oxidative stress and subsequently to the maternal syndromes such as recurrent early pregnancy loss and pre-eclampsia. Oxidative stress has been most extensively investigated in pre-eclampsia, resulting in hundreds of publications and many reviews. In general the literature points to the presence of placental and maternal oxidative stress. However, conformity amongst the relevant data is not absolute, most probably the result of the diversity of biomarkers investigated and the methods employed to assess oxidative stress, which generally depend on the assessment of end products of oxidative stress. Recently, new techniques have been developed that use different approaches based on the "real-time" measurement of oxidative stress by the redox status of thiols or the assessment of superoxide generation, whereas the role of Phase I/Phase II biotransformation pathways in oxidative stress was recognised. This review focuses on this biotransformation system, the thiol redox status and the involvement of these systems in oxidative stress associated with reproduction and pregnancy disorders, with the emphasis being laid on the syndrome of pre-eclampsia.

Serum oxidant and antioxidant levels in diesel exposed toll collectors.

It has been suggested that exposure to diesel exhaust may lead to adverse effects due to the generation of oxidants. To evaluate the end products of oxidative stress in DE exposure, toll collectors who are considered a high risk group in regard to occupational toxins were compared to controls who had office-based occupations in the same company in this cross sectional study. A total of 38 toll collectors constituted the study group. All subjects were male. The toll collectors and 29 controls were similar regarding age, smoking status and duration of work. All subjects underwent a clinical examination and an interviewer-administrated questionnaire regarding respiratory symptoms, past medical and occupational history, and pulmonary function tests were performed in all subjects. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite+nitrate and vitamin E levels were measured. Toll collectors showed higher serum MDA (5.76 +/- 2.15 micromol/L vs. 3.07 +/- 0.76 micromol/L, p=0.0001) and nitrite+nitrate levels (96.50 +/- 45.54 micromol/L vs. 19.32 +/- 11.77 micromol/L, p=0.0001) than controls. Vitamin E levels were similar in toll collectors and controls (10.57 +/- 3.44 mg/L and 9.72 +/- 2.44 mg/L, respectively, p=0.267). There was no difference between groups in terms of the findings of clinical examinations and respiratory symptoms. In pulmonary function parameters, only peak expiratory flow (PEF) in toll collectors was significantly lower than that of controls (88.9% predicted and 104.2% predicted, respectively, p=0.012). In conclusion, we suggest that serum MDA and nitrite+nitrate levels may be used as biological markers of oxidative stress related to DE exposure, but prospective controlled clinical studies are necessary to clarify the possible association between concentrations of MDA and nitrite+nitrate and pulmonary diseases related to DE exposure.