title: Antioxidant status and alpha1-antiproteinase activity in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients.
abstract: The antiproteasic activity of alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1-AT) is reduced in cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage from ruptured intracranial aneurysm and particularly in patients currently smoking; alpha1-AT is very sensitive to oxidant agents. About 50% of physiological anti-oxidant systemic capacity is represented by Vitamin A, E and C. Plasmatic amounts of alpha1-AT, alpha1-AT Collagenase Inhibitory Capacity (CIC) and levels of vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C were analyzed in 39 patients, 26 women and 13 men, operated for intracranial aneurysm; 11 patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysm were considered as controls while 28 patients were included within 12 hours from subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Plasmatic levels of vitamin A and vitamin E were significantly lower (p=0.038 and p=0.0158) in patients suffering SAH than in controls, while no statistically significant differences were found in mean plasmatic vitamin C levels. Level of alpha1-AT was not statistically different in controls and in patients with SAH; however, the activity of alpha1-AT, evaluated as CIC, is significantly reduced in patients with SAH (p=0.019). We have observed that systemic plasmatic levels of vitamins did not significantly differ in relation to smoking habit. Vitamin A and E represent an important defensive system against free radicals reactions. Particularly, vitamin E acts as an antioxidant by scavenging free-radicals. A reduced anti-oxidant status might be related to the higher sensibility of alpha1-AT to oxidative reactions and the activity of alpha1-AT is dependent on the antioxidant capacity of liposoluble vitamins. We can speculate that an acute systemic oxidative stress condition might influence the rupture of intracranial aneurysms.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marzatico
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaetani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tartara
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertorelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feletti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adinolfi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tancioni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez y Baena
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid