Myeloperoxidase overexpression in children with hypercholesterolemia.
BACKGROUND
Studies conducted in healthy children showed that biomarkers of oxidative stress decreased with increasing age from 1 to 11 years. No data have been reported concerning the behavior of age-related oxidative stress in hypercholesterolemic children.


OBJECTIVE
Aim of this study was to test if children with hypercholesterolemia have prolonged exposure to enhanced oxidative stress and to study the underlying mechanism.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional study comparing 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine, oxidized-LDL and myeloperoxidase plasma levels in 95 normocholesterolemic and 95 hypercholesterolemic children.


RESULTS
Compared to normocholesterolemic children, those with hypercholesterolemia had higher 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine, oxidized-LDL and myeloperoxidase plasma levels. A correlation analysis of the overall population showed that total cholesterol was directly correlated with 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine, oxidized-LDL and myeloperoxidase. Stepwise linear regression showed that only total cholesterol, 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine and myeloperoxidase levels predicted oxidized-LDL plasma levels. In normocholesterolemic children oxidized-LDL and myeloperoxidase plasma levels significantly decreased from first (1-5 years) to second (6-9 years) quartile of age. In hypercholesterolemic children 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine, oxidized-LDL and myeloperoxidase plasma levels did not show significant differences among quartiles of age.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that an early and persistent oxidative stress is detected in hypercholesterolemic children and that myeloperoxidase up-regulation might play a role.
Pignatelli
P
P
Division of Internal Medicine H, La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. pasquale.pignatelli@uniroma1.it
Loffredo
L
L
Martino
F
F
Catasca
E
E
Carnevale
R
R
Zanoni
C
C
Del Ben
M
M
Antonini
R
R
Basili
S
S
Violi
F
F
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016014:Linear Models; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype
D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D009195:Peroxidase