Red blood cells and serum antioxidant defense systems of galactosaemic children
Szczypka, M.; Gajewski, J.; Laskowska-Klita, T.; Zbieg-Sendecka, E.
Biomedica Biochimica Acta 49(10): 1015-1019
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0232-766X PMID: 2080901 Document Number: 350974
Many reports have pointed out that oxidative damage and disturbances in antioxidant defense systems of the lenses may play an important role in the development of cataract. In the present study the activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, catalase and the level of glutathione and lipid peroxides were measured in red blood cells of galactosemic children with cataract and without cataract. Furthermore the serum antioxidant activity and the level of uric acid, ceruloplasmin and transferrin in serum were estimated. It was found that in red blood cells of galactosemic children with cataract the activity of glutathione reductase was slightly lower than in a control age-matched group of children and in galactosemic children without cataract. The increase of serum antioxidant activity in both groups of galactosemic children was also observed. Probably it could be due to the increase of the level of ceruloplasmin. Except glutathione reductase activity no other differences were found in the investigated components of the antioxidant defense systems of red blood cells and serum between galactosemic children with cataract and those without cataract. Therefore it seems that red blood cells and serum metabolism are no good reflections of disturbances in antioxidant defense mechanisms which may be involved in the cataract development in galactosemic children.