Serum lipid peroxide levels and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women

• Published in: Gynecological endocrinology 2001-08, Vol.15 (4), p.298-303
• Main Authors: BEDNAREK-TUPIKOWSKA, G, BOHDANOWICZ-PAWLAK, A, BIDZINSKA, B, MILEWICZ, A, ANTONOWICZ-JUCHNIEWICZ, J, ANDRZEJAK, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Erythrocytes - enzymology; Estradiol - blood; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glutathione Peroxidase - blood; Humans; Lipid Peroxides - blood; Menopause - blood; Middle Aged; Sexual differentiation and maturation. Puberty. Climacterium; Superoxide Dismutase - blood; Vertebrates: reproduction
• ISSN: 0951-3590
• DOI: 10.1080/713602888

Free radical reactions are involved in processes connected with aging. Estradiol acts as antioxidant and free radical scavenger, but the mechanism of this action remains unknown. Estradiol has a hydroxyphenolic structure and may donate hydrogen atoms to lipid peroxyradicals to terminate chain reactions. There are a few reports concerning the influence of estradiol on natural antioxidant enzyme activity, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT). The aim of this study was to estimate the relationship between the levels of estradiol and lipid peroxide (LPO), a marker of membrane lipid peroxidation, and the correlation between estradiol and erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activity. The study included 13 premenopausal and 13 postmenopausal healthy women. Serum levels of estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and LPO, and erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activity were estimated in all subjects. Premenopausal women revealed significantly higher estradiol levels and lower LPO concentrations, as well as significantly higher GSH-Px activity than the postmenopausal group. SOD activity did not differ between the two groups. There was a negative correlation between serum estradiol and LPO levels as well as a positive correlation between estradiol and GSH-Px activity. These results support the hypothesis that estradiol exerts its antioxidant action not only through its chemical structure but probably also through its influence on natural cellular antioxidant enzyme activity.