Affiliations: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Rehabilitation,
Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
Note: [] Correspondence: Joanna Śmigielska-Kuzia, MD, Department of
Pediatric Neurology and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Bialystok,
Bialystok, 15-274, Poland. Tel.: +48857450812; E-mail: jsmig1@poczta.onet.pl
Abstract: Impaired antioxidant mechanisms lead to an increase in free radicals
and may induce a number of pathophysiological processes resulting in cell
injury. Thus, any abnormality in antioxidant systems could affect
neurodevelopmental processes and could have an important role in the
pathogenesis of Down syndrome (DS). The plasma levels of lipid peroxidation
factors such as plasma levels of malondialdehyde, activities of superoxide
dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase in serum were
investigated in 41 DS children and were compared with 61 healthy controls.
Superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase
activities were spectrophotometrically assayed. Serum activities of superoxide
dismutase and glutathione reductase did not differ significantly between DS
children and the control group. Malondialdehyde concentrations did not differ
statistically between the DS children and healthy subjects. We found a
significant increase of glutathione peroxidase activity in the sera of children
with DS compared to the controls. Our results suggest that an increase in serum
glutathione peroxidase activity could be a suitable protective mechanism
against peroxidation processes in DS patients.
Keywords: Down syndrome, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxides
