title: Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress in Stable Renal Transplant Recipients with Respect to the Immunosuppression Protocol - Differences or Similarities?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to evaluate parameters of oxidative and nitrosative stress as well as antioxidative parameters in a group of renal transplant recipients with stable graft function and no clinical signs of cardiovascular disease. We also aimed to determine the correlations among these parameters and to evaluate potential differences in all the biomarkers with regard to the immunosuppression protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 57 renal transplant recipients and 31 controls who were age and sex matched with the renal transplant recipients. All of the patients included in this study had post-renal transplant surgery at least 12 months earlier and were on standard immunosuppressive therapy. In this study, we determined thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in plasma and red blood cells and advanced oxidation protein products, nitrosative stress parameters (asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine - ADMA and SDMA), and antioxidative parameters (total SH groups and catalase activity).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of our study demonstrated that the levels of oxidative and nitrosative stress were significantly increased compared to the healthy population (p<0.01 except for plasma catalase activity p<0.05). Correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between: ADMA and SDMA (p<0.01); ADMA and nitrates (p<0.05); SDMA and nitrates (p<0.05); between OS parameters in the experimental group; AOPP and SH groups (p<0.05) and TBARS in plasma and SH groups (p<0.01), SDMA and AOPP (p< 0.05); SDMA and TBARS in plasma (p<0.05); SDMA and SH groups (p<0.01); nitrates and SH groups (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant difference in oxidative and nitrosative stress parameters with respect to the immunosuppressive protocol.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Niš, Serbia; Clinic for Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, Clinical Centre Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cvetković
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, Clinical Centre Niš, Serbia; Pharmacy Department, Medical Faculty, University of Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Radmila
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Veličković-Radovanović
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty, University of Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dijana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stojanović
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Medical Faculty, University of Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stefanović
authors.affiliation: Public Health Institute, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ignjatović
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stojanović
authors.affiliation: Medical Center Dr. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sladojević
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dušica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlović
keywords: ADMA; SDMA; nitrosative stress; oxidative stress; renal transplantation