Decreased erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The mean activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in erythrocytes of 22 Israeli-Jewish patients with multiple sclerosis (19.3 +_ 4.5 U/gHb) was significantly lower than in a control group of 30 Jewish patients with various neurological disorders (24.3 +_ 5.1 U/gHb). This observation confirms a similar finding of a decreased activity of GSH-Px in erythrocytes of multiple sclerosis patients in Denmark (Shukla et al. 1977). These results are discussed in relation to the possibility of selenium deficiency and to the recently described genetic polymorphism and ethnic variation of GSH-Px activity in human red cells. It is concluded that additional investigations are required in order to elucidate the cause of the decreased activity of this enzyme in red cells of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Erythrocytes in multiple sclerosis – forgotten contributors to the pathophysiology?

“…15 However, the sample recruited by Mehlert et al. 15 was smaller than the sample recruited by studies that reported significant differences 11–14 and sample size may explain the discrepancy. Erythrocyte GPx activity was lower in RRMS patients than in CIS patients, and lower in CIS patients than in healthy controls.…”

“…10 Multiple studies found erythrocyte GPx activity to be decreased in MS patients ( n  = 24–57) compared to healthy controls ( n  = 24–69) 11–13 and patients with other neurological diseases, including cerebrovascular syndrome ( n  = 8), lumbar cervical discopathy ( n  = 6), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( n  = 4), Guillain-Barré syndrome ( n  = 3) and others ( n  = 9) 14 (Figure 1). Mehlert et al.…”

Oxidative Stress is Increased in Serum from Mexican Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

“…In addition, a significant decrease in the level of the natural scavenger of peroxynitrite, uric acid [19,25] has been described in MS patients. On the other hand, the glutathione peroxidase activity in MS remains unclear, for example it has been reported a decreased enzymatic activity in blood cells [13,16,26], increased activity [30], or a normal activity in lymphocytes, granulocytes and platelets of MS patients [27]. The contradictory reported data for glutathione peroxidase activity prompt us to investigate this activity and oxidative stress markers (nitric oxide metabolites and lipid peroxidation products) in serum of Mexican patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.…”

Increased generation of superoxide radicals in the blood of MS patients

“…Increased levels of lipid peroxidation products in cerebrospinal fluid (7) and increased erythrocyte peroxidisability (8) were reported in MS patients. Glutathione peroxidase activity was found decreased in MS (9,10,11). The content of polyunsaturated fatty acid residues in the brains and spinal cords of MS patients was also decreased (12,13).…”