Background: Porphyria cutanea tarda and haemochromatosis are taken to be spontaneous human models of oxidative cellular damage, with an increased risk of fibrosis and cancer evolution. Aim: To define the relative pro-oxidant roles of porphyrin and iron, in their different molecular forms, and their effects on antioxidant biological systems. Patients: A group of 17 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda and a group of 14 patients with primary and secondary haemochromatosis, were compared with 21 healthy controls. Methods: Plasma retinol, tocopherol, alpha- and beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, glutathione, malonyldialdehyde and red blood cell free iron were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Results: Only a modest increase in iron stores was demonstrated in the porhpyria cutanea tarda group; in the haemochromatosis patients ferritin levels were almost seven times higher By contrast, there was a sharp and virtually identical increase in red blood cell free iron and malonyldialdehyde in both the patient groups. A significant reduction was observed in retinol, alpha-, beta-carotene and red blood cell glutathione levels being more marked in porphyria cutanea tarda than in haemochromatosis patients. Conclusions: The study confirms the strong pro-oxidant effects of porphyrins in vivo, through an induction of the free toxic iron form, even though the total iron pool is not greatly expanded. The additional free-iron and porphyrin oxidant effects are documented both in red blood cell and plasma in the porphyria cutanea tarda group. It confirmed that aging exerts a negative influence in terms of pro- and antioxidant balance in all cases, but particularly in the haemochromatosis group.

Circulating pro- and antioxidant factors in iron and porphyrin metabolism disorders / Rocchi, Emilio; Casalgrandi, G; Masini, A; Giovannini, F; Ceccarelli, D; Ferrali, M; Marchini, S; Ventura, Ezio. - In: ITALIAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY. - ISSN 1125-8055. - STAMPA. - 31:(1999), pp. 861-867.

Circulating pro- and antioxidant factors in iron and porphyrin metabolism disorders

ROCCHI, Emilio;VENTURA, Ezio
1999

Abstract

Background: Porphyria cutanea tarda and haemochromatosis are taken to be spontaneous human models of oxidative cellular damage, with an increased risk of fibrosis and cancer evolution. Aim: To define the relative pro-oxidant roles of porphyrin and iron, in their different molecular forms, and their effects on antioxidant biological systems. Patients: A group of 17 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda and a group of 14 patients with primary and secondary haemochromatosis, were compared with 21 healthy controls. Methods: Plasma retinol, tocopherol, alpha- and beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, glutathione, malonyldialdehyde and red blood cell free iron were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Results: Only a modest increase in iron stores was demonstrated in the porhpyria cutanea tarda group; in the haemochromatosis patients ferritin levels were almost seven times higher By contrast, there was a sharp and virtually identical increase in red blood cell free iron and malonyldialdehyde in both the patient groups. A significant reduction was observed in retinol, alpha-, beta-carotene and red blood cell glutathione levels being more marked in porphyria cutanea tarda than in haemochromatosis patients. Conclusions: The study confirms the strong pro-oxidant effects of porphyrins in vivo, through an induction of the free toxic iron form, even though the total iron pool is not greatly expanded. The additional free-iron and porphyrin oxidant effects are documented both in red blood cell and plasma in the porphyria cutanea tarda group. It confirmed that aging exerts a negative influence in terms of pro- and antioxidant balance in all cases, but particularly in the haemochromatosis group.
1999
31
861
867
Circulating pro- and antioxidant factors in iron and porphyrin metabolism disorders / Rocchi, Emilio; Casalgrandi, G; Masini, A; Giovannini, F; Ceccarelli, D; Ferrali, M; Marchini, S; Ventura, Ezio. - In: ITALIAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY. - ISSN 1125-8055. - STAMPA. - 31:(1999), pp. 861-867.
Rocchi, Emilio; Casalgrandi, G; Masini, A; Giovannini, F; Ceccarelli, D; Ferrali, M; Marchini, S; Ventura, Ezio
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/7432
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