Altered oxidative stress in healthy old subjects

• Published in: Aging (Milan, Italy) Italy), 1997-06, Vol.9 (3), p.221-223
• Main Authors: Rondanelli, M, Melzi d'Eril, G V, Anesi, A, Ferrari, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - metabolism; Erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - enzymology; Female; Glutathione Peroxidase - blood; Humans; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Oxidative Stress; Plasma
• ISSN: 0394-9532; 1594-0667; 1720-8319
• DOI: 10.1007/bf03340153

To understand the magnitude of oxidative phenomena during senescence, we evaluated, as antioxidant, the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in erythrocytes and plasma uric acid (UA) levels together with the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma, as an index of lipid peroxidation, in 46 apparently healthy elderly subjects (87 +/- 6 years old; mean +/- SD), and 49 young subjects (29 +/- 4 years old). The elderly subjects had lower erythrocyte GSH-Px activity (15.7 +/- 4.8 vs 20.2 +/- 7.0 U/g Hb, p < 0.001; mean +/- SD) and plasma UA levels (192 +/- 46 vs 240 +/- 54 mmol/L, p < 0.001), but higher MDA levels (5.3 +/- 0.8 vs 4.1 +/- 0.8 mmol/L, p < 0.001) than the young subjects. Of additional interest was the finding of a positive correlation between age and erythrocyte GSH-Px activity (r = 0.74, p < 0.001), and a negative correlation between age and plasma MDA levels (r = -0.83, p < 0.001) in the elderly group. Although erythrocyte (GSH-Px activity was significantly less in the elderly than in the young group, the oldest subjects showed the greatest erythrocyte GSH-Px activity and had lower MDA levels.