title: Significance of changes in serum superoxide dismutase level in hypertensive syndrome of pregnancy.
abstract: The concentration of human serum superoxide dismutase-1 (hSOD-1) containing copper and zinc ions were measured by radioimmunoassay healthy nonpregnant women, 15 normal pregnant women, 15 patients with mild to moderate hypertension (MMHSP) and 15 with severe hypertensive syndrome of pregnancy (SHSP). The mean serum hSOD-1 concentration in nonpregnant women was 148.84 +/- 60.53 (x +/- s) micrograms/L; while in the other 3 groups it was 394.19 +/- 122.21 micrograms/L, 377.12 +/- 173.45 micrograms/L and 581.15 +/- 118.50 micrograms/L. The results suggest that harmful free radicals increase gradually and a strong body defence system against oxidation damage of tissue cells is produced in the course of normal pregnancy and MMHSP. With cardionatrin treatment serum hSOD-1 concentrations of patients ameliorated returned to the level of normal pregnancy. The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between cardionatrin and hSOD-1 levels (r = 0.569, P less than 0.05), and a physiological regulation of the defence system exists, which may be related to the white blood cells. Hence, hSOD-1 probably plays a significant role in defence during normal pregnancy and hypertensive syndrome of pregnancy (HSP).
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Laboratory Centre, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical College, Xian.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase