title: Evaluation of antioxidant systems in pituitary-adrenal axis diseases.
abstract: The role of adrenal steroids in antioxidant regulation is not known. Previously, we demonstrated some Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) alterations in pituitary diseases, which can induce complex pictures due to alterations of different endocrine axes. Therefore we determined CoQ(10) and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) in pituitary-dependent adrenal diseases: 6 subjects with ACTH-dependent adrenal hyperplasia (AH); 19 with secondary isolated hypoadrenalism (IH), 19 with associated hypothyroidism (multiple pituitary deficiencies, MPH). CoQ(10) was assayed by HPLC; TAC by the system metmyoglobin-H(2)O(2), which, interacting with the chromogenous 2,2(I)-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate), generates a spectroscopically revealed radical compound after a latency time (Lag) proportional to the antioxidant content. CoQ(10) levels were significantly lower in IH than AH and MPH, with a similar trend when adjusted for cholesterol. Also TAC was lower in IH than in AH and MPH, suggesting that adrenal hormones can influence antioxidants. However, since thyroid hormones modulate CoQ(10) levels and metabolism, when thyroid deficiency coexists it seems to play a prevalent influence.
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy. mancini.giac@mclink.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silvestrini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Festa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Donna
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Marinis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pontecorvi
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Littarru
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meucci
mesh_terms: D000312:Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital / Q000378:metabolism; D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000378:metabolism; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014451:Ubiquinone