title: Circulating markers of oxidative stress and liver fibrosis in Sudanese subjects at risk of schistosomiasis and hepatitis.
abstract: Epidemiological studies in the developing world are frequently biased by the simultaneous presence of several infectious pathogens. In the present study, we examined the usefulness of circulating markers of oxidative stress and liver fibrosis to investigate the distinct forms of chronic liver inflammations associated with schistosomiasis and viral hepatitis, respectively. The study was performed in a Sudanese population exposed to Schistosoma. Circulating hyaluronic acid (HA) was used as a marker of liver fibrosis; the severity of schistosomiasis was determined by ultrasonic examination; viral hepatitis infection was ascertained by circulating anti-hepatitis antibodies. Serum markers were examined also in Sudanese subjects not exposed to Schistosoma infection and in French control subjects. We found a drastic decrease of lycopene levels in the subjects exposed to schistosomiasis in comparison with non-exposed Sudanese and French control subjects. Retinol, alpha-tocopherol and five carotenoids were unchanged. Lycopene depletion was unlikely to be due to variations of nutritional origin, since the lycopene/beta-carotene ratio was five-fold lower in the population at risk of schistosomiasis than in the other groups. We found that high HA serum levels were associated with severe periportal fibrosis but not with viral infection. Conversely, levels of the oxidized lipid malondialdehyde (MDA) were associated with viral infection but not with the severity of schistosomiasis, even though the two infections had additive effects. We concluded that serum markers are valuable tools for investigating the complex effects of co-existing factors of chronic liver inflammation.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U399, Université Méditerranée, 27 Blvd J.-Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eboumbou
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Steghens
authors.forename: Ould Mohamed Salem
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Abdallahi
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirghani
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallian
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Kappel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qurashi
authors.forename: Bouchra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gharib
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Reggi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012424:Rural Population; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D002338:Carotenoids; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D000077276:Lycopene