title: Preeclampsia is associated with increased susceptibility of serum lipids to copper-induced peroxidation in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several reports suggest preeclampsia to be associated with oxidative stress. In view of potential experimental artifacts in these studies, we tested the effect of preeclampsia on the oxidizibility of maternal serum lipids, using an optimized ex vivo method.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 28 pregnant women with preeclampsia and 28 women matched for maternal and gestational age with normal pregnancies. Venous blood was drawn from the consenting women. Serum levels of lipid peroxidation products and the kinetics of copper-induced oxidation ex vivo were monitored spectroscopically by continuous recording of absorbance at 245 nm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial optical density (OD) at 245 nm, attributed to preformed products of lipid peroxidation, was higher in the women with preeclampsia than in the controls (1.26 +/- 0.02 vs. 1.17 +/- 0.02 OD units; p = 0.01). The lag phase preceding oxidation, reflecting resistance of serum lipids to oxidation, was significantly shorter in the preeclampsia group than in the controls (47.4 +/- 2.3 vs. 57.6 +/- 4.0 min; p = 0.027).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of serum hydroperoxides and increased susceptibility of serum lipids to copper-induced peroxidation ex vivo indicate preeclampsia to be associated with high oxidative stress. The role of this high oxidizibility in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia has yet to be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel. fainaru@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fainaru
authors.forename: Dov
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lichtenberg
authors.forename: Ilya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinchuk
authors.forename: Benny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Almog
authors.forename: Ronni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gamzu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kupferminc
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D008055:Lipids; D003300:Copper