title: Increased susceptibility to oxidation of low-density lipoproteins isolated from patients with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the resistance to oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) from patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and primary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) compared with healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma LDL were isolated from patients with diffuse cutaneous and limited cutaneous SSc (dcSSc and lcSSc, respectively), patients with primary RP, and healthy control subjects. The lipoproteins were assessed for their resistance to oxidation in the presence of cupric ions, using spectrophotometric assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LDL from patients with dcSSc and lcSSc were more susceptible to oxidation than were those from healthy control subjects or patients with RP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that free radicals may play a role in the pathology of SSc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, England.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Bruckdorfer
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hillary
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bunce
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vancheeswaran
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D002784:Cholesterol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid