Alterations of Erythrocyte and Plasma Lipid Peroxides as well as Antioxidant Mechanism in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM)

Authors: Yıldız ATAMER, Yüksel KOÇYİĞİT, Aytaç ATAMER, Nuriye METE, Naime CANORUÇ, Gülten TOPRAK

Abstract: It has been maintained that free oxygen radicals (FOR) that occur in cell have important roles in the ethiopathogenesis of diabet, and that cell damage progressing as a result of their accumulation is responsible for the development of diabetic complications. In recent years, along with free oxygen radicals, antioxidant mechanisms and the substances influencing as free radical cleaner have been investigated in connection with diabet. With this respect, in a total of 30 patients with type II Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM), 15 with diabetic retinopathy and 15 without diabetic retinopathy, and in 20 healthy subjects, we measured glutathione (GSH), catalase and antiperoxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) lev-els as well as plasma and eritrosit levels of Malondialdehid (MDA), which is the last product of oxydation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Erythrocyte and plasma MDA levels of patients with diabetic retinopathy were higher relative to those withouut diabetic retinopathy (P<0.001, P<0.005). In both diabetic groups, erythrocyte and plasma levels were observed to have increased considerably when compared with those in the control group (P<0.001). It was determined that, while erthrocyte SOD, catalase and glutathione levels in he groups with diabetic retinopathy decreased significantly relative to those in the control group, a slight decrease occurred in the SOD levels of the group without diabetic retinopathy with respect to controls, and that this, however, was statistically insignificant (P<0.05). Still, the decrease in the catalase and glutathione levels was found to be significant (P<0.02). These results indicate that accompaniment of inhibited antioxidant defence systems with increased lipid peroxide levels leading to damage in endotelial cell membran is important not only in the progress of diabete but also in the development of diabetic complications.

Keywords: Lipid peroxidation, Superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione.

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