Oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity in smoking and nonsmoking men with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Past studies document decreased levels of antioxidants and selenium and increased levels of oxidative stress in people living with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Cigarette smoking is another source of oxidative stress. Excessive oxidative stress can induce HIV replication, resulting in disease progression. The purpose of this study was to determine whether subjects with HIV/AIDS who smoke cigarettes have increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant status compared with nonsmokers with HIV/AIDS.


METHODS
Thirty-one men with HIV/AIDS (adhering to highly active antiretroviral therapy for the previous 3 months) were recruited during regular visits to a Veterans Affairs Medical Center Infectious Disease Clinic in a southeastern US city. Plasma was obtained from a 1-time blood draw for this comparison study. Plasma lipid peroxide (LPO) was used as a marker of oxidative stress. Indicators of antioxidant capacity included plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx, the functional indicator of selenium status), vitamin C, and antioxidant potential (AOP).


RESULTS
Fifteen smokers and 10 nonsmokers with HIV/AIDS were enrolled. Median plasma LPO level was above the normal range of 0-1.3 micromol/L in both nonsmokers (2.5 [0-23.4] micromol/L, median [range]) and smokers (4.0 [0-47.5] micromol/L), but there was no difference between groups. Plasma GPx concentration was significantly lower in smokers (169 [118-295] mumol/min/L) compared with nonsmokers (197 [149-414] micromol/min/L). Vitamin C and AOP levels were not different between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study suggests that effects of smoking on oxidative stress are not additive, as no striking differences were observed in oxidative stress or antioxidant capacity between clinically stable smoking and nonsmoking men with HIV/AIDS.
Cole
Suzanne B
SB
Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Langkamp-Henken
Bobbi
B
Bender
Bradley S
BS
Findley
Kimberly
K
Herrlinger-Garcia
Kelli A
KA
Uphold
Constance R
CR
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid