Plasma and LDL levels of major lipophilic antioxidants are similar in patients with advanced atherosclerosis and age-matched controls.
Oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), regarded an early event in atherogenesis, is associated with the depletion of the lipoprotein's antioxidants. We tested whether the levels of major lipophilic antioxidants in the blood of patients with advanced atherosclerosis are different to those in age-matched controls. On average, plasma ubiquinol-10, total coenzyme Q and coenzyme Q redox status were slightly lower whereas the levels of alpha-tocopherol were slightly higher in patients (63 +/- 11 years, n = 32) than controls (64 +/- 10 years, n = 24). However, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The levels of antioxidants in LDL isolated from a subset of patients (n = 20) and controls (n = 15) were also indifferent, and hydroperoxides of cholesteryl esters were undetectable (detection limit 10 nM) in plasma of patients (n = 11) and controls (n = 10). The data suggests that plasma and LDL levels of lipophilic antioxidants are not depleted in patients suffering from severe atherosclerosis, and that neither parameter serves as a useful diagnostic indicator for this disease.
Cleary
J
J
Biochemistry Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney NSW, Australia.
Mohr
D
D
Adams
M R
MR
Celermajer
D S
DS
Stocker
R
R
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003067:Coenzymes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D003067:Coenzymes; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014451:Ubiquinone; D014810:Vitamin E; C024989:coenzyme Q10