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Alterations in the erythrocyte antioxidant status in patients with alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis

Łukasz Gwoździński, Tadeusz Nawarycz, Joanna Błaszczyk-Suszyńska, Edward Kowalczyk, Jan Błaszczyk

Med Sci Tech 2013; 54:79-82

DOI: 10.12659/MST.883933

Available online: 2013-06-05

Published: 2013-06-05


#883933

Background: Anemia, often observed in patients with alcohol induced liver cirrhosis (AILC), does not result from marrow erythrocytary line abnormality but is most probably caused by intensified oxidation of erythrocyte membrane in the course of oxidative stress. In patients with liver cirrhosis the life span of erythrocytes was shorter by approximately 50–60% with increased peroxidation. Furthermore, changes in plasma lipid composition in the liver of cirrhotic patients were observed. An increased concentration of reactive oxygen species in blood plasma with coexisting insufficiency of antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems were also observed in patients with AILC. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the activity of the selected antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), as well as reduced glutathione concentration (GPH) in the erythrocytes of subjects with AILC compared to healthy controls. In addition to increased erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation in patients with AILC the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in blood plasma was determined in both examined groups of subjects.
Material and Methods: Whole blood of 12 healthy controls (7 women, 5 men, aged 35–45 years) with no liver pathology or dysfunction of other organs and systems, the laboratory tests of subjects were in normal limits and of 12 patients (4 women, 8 men, aged 35–45 years) with clinically, including ultrasonography image of the liver and liver biopsy with tissue samples analysis, and laboratory diagnosed alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis, was subject of investigations. Any other etiologies of liver cirrhosis such as viral hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis were excluded as the first selection criteria for the patients. The investigated group is made up of the patients who are alcoholic and have been hospitalized in this clinic various times as a result of alcohol overdose and alcohol disease complications.Antioxidant enzymes activity: SOD activity was determined using the Misra and Fridovich method; CAT activity was measured using the Beers and Sizer method; GPx activity was determined by the method of Paglia and Valentine. GSH concentration was measured using the Ellman method. The concentration of TBARS was determined by Placer spectrophotometric method.
Results: Oxidative stress in the erythrocytes of patients with AILC was observed. Coexisting changes in the antioxidant enzymes activities and decreased concentration of GSH was observed. An increase of the concentration of TBARS was also observed.
Conclusions: AILC leads to insufficiency of the antioxidant status, which is manifested in the decrease of the activity of CAT and GPx and in the lowering of the GSH concentration in the erythrocytes.

Keywords: Lipid Peroxidation, Free Radicals



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