Thioredoxin levels in the sera of untreated viral hepatitis patients and those treated with glycyrrhizin or ursodeoxycholic acid.
Thioredoxin (TRX), a thiol-containing protein, is induced by various oxidative stresses. Serum TRX levels were measured with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit in 210 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients, 39 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients, and 17 healthy volunteers. The effects of hepatoprotective drugs on TRX levels were also examined. The median TRX levels were significantly higher in HCV-infected patients than in controls (34.2 vs. 23.5 ng/ml, respectively; p < 0.005), but were not elevated in HBV-infected patients (26.7 ng/ml). The TRX levels were significantly correlated with serum lipid peroxide levels and indocyanine green exclusion test values, and were markedly decreased following treatment with Stronger Neo-Minophagen C or ursodeoxycholic acid. In conclusion serum TRX levels, a marker of oxidative stress, were higher in patients with HCV infection than those with HBV infection and healthy controls. The therapeutic efficacy of hepatoprotective drugs may be connected with the decrease in oxidative stress in hepatitis patients.
Nakashima
T
T
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. nakashim@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Sumida
Y
Y
Yoh
T
T
Kakisaka
Y
Y
Nakajima
Y
Y
Ishikawa
H
H
Mitsuyoshi
H
H
Kashima
K
K
Nakamura
H
H
Yodoi
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000097:blood*; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D013879:Thioredoxins; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D007208:Indocyanine Green