title: Evaluation of systemic redox states in patients carrying the MELAS A3243G mutation in mitochondrial DNA.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the change of systemic redox states in patients carrying the A3243G mutation in mitochondrial DNA (A3243G), we evaluated oxidative stress and antioxidant activity in the serum of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oxidative stress and antioxidant activity in the serum samples obtained from 14 patients carrying A3243G and from 34 healthy controls were analyzed using the diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) tests, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean d-ROMs level of all patients was significantly greater than that of the controls (p < 0.005), and the mean BAP/d-ROMs ratio of all patients was significantly lower than that of the controls (p < 0.02). In the patients with a history of stroke-like episodes (n = 10), both mean d-ROMs and BAP levels were increased compared with those of the controls (both p < 0.01). The mean BAP level of the patients without a history of stroke-like episodes (n = 4) was significantly decreased compared with that of the controls (p < 0.001), but the mean d-ROMs levels were not significantly different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  d-ROMs and BAP tests indicated that patients carrying A3243G are always exposed to underlying oxidative stress, even at a remission state of stroke-like episodes.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikawa
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Tadanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamano
authors.forename: Miwako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: Yasunari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamoto
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuriyama
authors.forename: Yasutoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoneda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000409:Alanine / Q000235:genetics; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005998:Glycine / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000097:blood; D017241:MELAS Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000097:blood; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000409:Alanine; D005998:Glycine