Free-Radical Oxidation (Peroxidation) Products in Plasma in Normal and Abnormal Pregnancy

Abstract

SUMMARY Using recently developed methods for measuring free-radical oxidation products in biological material, plasma extracts were studied in 24 women in the first two trimesters of pregnancy, in 124 women in the third trimester of pregnancy, in 20 women with pre-eclamptic toxaemia (PET), and in a control group. There was a significant progressive rise of two groups of free-radical oxidation products throughout pregnancy and a significantly greater rise in PET. In women whose diastolic blood pressure rose to above 70 mmHg there was a highly significant relation between two groups of free-radical reaction products and blood pressure.Methods weeks in 97 cases and at 40 weeks in 33 cases. A further study was carried out on eight women who were admitted with PET, the diagnosis being based on a rise in diastolic blood pressure (BP) to 90 mmHg or over with proteinuria or oedema or both. A control series of 14 non-pregnant women (aged 26·4 ± 7 years) included at least six on various oral contraceptive agents. The results in this group did not differ significantly from those in women during the first trimester of pregnancy, all falling within a very narrow range. Although a correlation between BP and some FR reaction products was not anticipated, the BP was measured and recorded at the time the blood samples were collected.Free-radical reaction products were measured by methods based on those described by Lunec and Dormandy," A scanning fluorescence spectroscope (MPF-3L, Perkin-Elmer, Beaconsfield, Bucks, UK) was used for all fluorescence measurements: 8 ml chloroform/methanol (2:1 v/v) was added to 1 ml plasma. The mixture was shaken for 2 minutes followed by centrifugation for 10 minutes at 1000 g. A preliminary study was carried out on blood from Of the resultant lower phase 5 ml was removed, and 36 women, 12 each in the first, second, and third 2 m1 deionised water was added. After vortex trimesters of pregnancy. The last eight weeks of mixing for 1 minute the mixture was spun for pregnancy were then studied in greater detail. Blood 10 minutes at 1000g. The lower phase formed will be was collected from 112 consecutive primigravid referred to as the 'chloroform' phase, and the upper women (aged 24· 6 ± 4· 6 years) attending the as the 'aqueous-methanol' phase. Two measurements antenatal clinic at the Whittington Hospital. Repeat were performed on the chloroform phase: 'diene samples from the same women were collected at 36 conjugation' measured by absorption at 240 nm; and 158

Serum lipids and malondialdehyde levels in primiparous patients with pregnancy induced hypertension

“…Their studies have also shown highly significant relation between a rising blood pressure and increasing free radical activity (6). Several investigations have hypothesized that the interaction between a disordered lipide profile, endothelin cell and oxidative stress is of major significance to the patho-physiology of preeclampsia (18,19).…”

“…Serum lipids increase significantly during pregnancy and are further elevated two fold during PIH (4,5,6). Several studies have shown that lipid peroxides like malondialdehyde (MDA) are significantly elevated in mild and severe PIH (7,8,9).…”

Antioxidant Status in HIV Positive Pregnant Women

“…Markers of lipid peroxidation i.e. MDA have been increased during the progression of normal pregnancy [29] . In our study we found that the MDA activity also increased in with normal and HIV pregnancy.…”

Protective effect of the serum against cellular damage by active oxygen in culture.

“…The serum antioxidant may be consisting mainly of the elevated catalase activity. Although the significance of antioxidant activity noted in the pregnant serum remained to be elucidated yet, as free radical oxidation products increase in the blood during pregnancy (Wickens et al 1981), the antioxidant may be involved in their removal. There is a report describing the presence of peroxidase activity in the uterus and placenta, but the relation between the increased radical oxidation products in the serum and the peroxidase activity in the uterus and placenta remained to be clarified.…”