Blood glutathione as independent marker of lipid peroxidation in heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Aminothiols have a critical function as intracellular redox buffers and constitute furthermore an important extracellular redox system. Lipid peroxidation is increased in chronic heart failure (CHF), but the contribution of each thiol to oxidative stress in this syndrome has not been evaluated.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the correlation between blood and plasma concentrations of aminothiols and lipid peroxidation as marker of oxidative stress in CHF patients.


METHODS
Blood reduced glutathione (GSH), plasma total and reduced cysteine, cysteinylglycine, homocysteine, GSH, alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and free malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed in samples obtained from 26 CHF heart transplant candidates and 26 age- and gender-matched controls with atherosclerotic risk factors and no history of cardiovascular disease. Results are expressed as median and interquartile range (I-III).


RESULTS
MDA levels were significantly higher in CHF patients than in controls [1.03 (0.56-1.60) microM vs. 0.70 (0.40-0.83) microM, p=0.006]. Blood reduced GSH concentrations were significantly higher [662 (327-867) microM vs. 416 (248-571) microM, p=0.016], while alpha-tocopherol levels were significantly lower [15 (13-19) microM vs. 21 (17-32) microM, p=0.001] in CHF patients than in controls. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, the only independent predictors of lipid peroxidation, as expressed by MDA levels > or = 1.00 microM, were increased blood GSH concentrations (OR 1.003 per unit, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.006, p=0.008), ischemic (OR 20, 95% CI 2.6 to 155, p=0.004) and non ischemic CHF etiology (OR 11, 95% CI 1.3 to 99, p=0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormalities in intracellular GSH cycling are associated to increased lipid peroxidation in CHF.
Campolo
Jonica
J
CNR Clinical Physiology Institute-Milan, Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital, P.zza Ospedale Maggiore, 3, 20162, Milan, Italy.
De Maria
Renata
R
Caruso
Raffaele
R
Accinni
Roberto
R
Turazza
Fabio
F
Parolini
Marina
M
Roubina
Elèna
E
De Chiara
Benedetta
B
Cighetti
Giuliana
G
Frigerio
Maria
M
Vitali
Ettore
E
Parodi
Oberdan
O
D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid