The role of oxidative stress in the regulation of the copy number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in human leukocytes is unclear. In this study, we investigated the redox factors in plasma that may contribute to the alteration of mtDNA copy number in human leukocytes. A total of 156 healthy subjects of 25-80 years of age who exhibited no significant difference in the distribution of subpopulations of leukocytes in blood were recruited. Small-molecular-weight antioxidants and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in plasma and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 4,977bp deletion of mtDNA in leukocytes were determined. The mtDNA copy number in leukocytes was determined by real-time PCR. The results showed that the copy number of mtDNA in leukocytes was changed with age in a biphasic manner that fits in a positively quadratic regression model (P = 0.001). Retinol (P = 0.005), non-protein thiols (P = 0.001) and ferritin (P = 0.004) in plasma and total glutathione in erythrocytes (P = 0.046) were the significant redox factors that correlated with the mtDNA copy number in leukocytes in a positive manner. By contrast, alpha-tocopherol levels in plasma (P = 0.001) and erythrocytes (P = 0.033) were negatively correlated with the mtDNA copy number in leukocytes. Three oxidative indices including the incidence of 4,977 bp deletion of mtDNA (P = 0.016) and 8-OHdG content in leukocytes (P = 0.003) and TBARS in plasma (P = 0.001) were all positively correlated with the copy number of mtDNA in leukocytes. Taken these findings together, we suggest that the copy number of mtDNA in leukocytes is affected by oxidative stress in blood circulation elicited by the alteration of plasma antioxidants/prooxidants and oxidative damage to DNA.

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD)/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by polyglutamine expansion in the ataxin-3 protein that confers a toxic gain of function. Because of the late onset of the disease, we hypothesize that the accumulated oxidative stress or/and defective antioxidant enzyme ability may be contributory factors in the pathogenesis of MJD. In this study, we utilized SK-N-SH and COS7 cells stably transfected with full-length MJD with 78 polyglutamine repeats to examine any alterations in the antioxidant activity. We demonstrated a significant reduction in the ratio of GSH/GSSG and total glutathione content (GSH + 2x GSSG) in mutant MJD cells compared with the wild-type cells under normal or stressful conditions. We also showed that both SK-N-SH-MJD78 and COS7-MJD78-GFP cell lines have lower activities of catalase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase compared with the wild-type cell lines. In addition, it is known that, when cells are under oxidative stress, the mitochondrial DNA is prone to damage. Our results demonstrated that mitochondrial DNA copy numbers are decreased in mutant cells and SCA3 patients' samples compared with the normal controls. Furthermore, the amount of common mitochondrial DNA 4,977-bp deletion is higher in SCA3 patients compared with that in normal individuals. Overall, mutant ataxin-3 may influence the activity of enzymatic components to remove O(2)(-) and H(2)O(2) efficiently and promote mitochondrial DNA damage or depletion, which leads to dysfunction of mitochondria. Therefore, we suggest that the cell damage caused by greater oxidative stress in SCA3 mutant cells plays an important role, at least in part, in the disease progression.

No abstract

Presence of CMV DNA in leucocytes, as a marker of latent CMV infection, was associated with increased levels of oxidative stress and subclinical atherosclerosis in healthy adults.

No abstract