Observational Study
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World J Exp Med. Aug 20, 2014; 4(3): 38-45
Published online Aug 20, 2014. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v4.i3.38
Oxidative stress and labile plasmatic iron in anemic patients following blood therapy
Marília Sabo Fernandes, Tatiana Tamborena Rissi, Luisa Zuravski, Juliana Mezzomo, Carmen Regla Vargas, Vanderlei Folmer, Félix Alexandre Antunes Soares, Vanusa Manfredini, Mushtaq Ahmed, Robson Luiz Puntel
Marília Sabo Fernandes, Tatiana Tamborena Rissi, Luisa Zuravski, Juliana Mezzomo, Vanderlei Folmer, Vanusa Manfredini, Robson Luiz Puntel, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana RS 97500-970, Brazil
Carmen Regla Vargas, Serviço de Genética Médica, Laboratório de Análise de Metabólitos, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre RS CEP 90035-003, Brazil
Félix Alexandre Antunes Soares, Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria RS CEP 97105-900, Brazil
Mushtaq Ahmed, Department of Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Bannu 28100, Pakistan
Author contributions: Fernandes MS, Rissi TT, Zuravski L and Mezzomo J performed the experiments; Vargas CR, Folmer V, and Soares FAA were involved in the statistical analysis and also in the writing of the manuscript; Ahmed M was involved in the writing of the manuscript and in the English language revision; Manfredini V and Puntel RL designed the study and wrote the manuscript.
Supported by Grants from the Universidade Federal do Pampa, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS) - FAPERGS/PRONEX, and FAPERGS/PRONEM, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
Correspondence to: Robson Luiz Puntel, PhD, Professor on Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, BR-472 Km 585, Caixa Postal 118, Uruguaiana RS 97500-970, Brazil. robsonunipampa@gmail.com
Telephone: +55-55-34134321
Received: January 22, 2014
Revised: June 19, 2014
Accepted: July 27, 2014
Published online: August 20, 2014
Abstract

AIM: To determine the plasmatic iron content and evaluate the oxidative stress (OS) markers in subjects receiving blood therapy.

METHODS: Thirty-nine individuals with unspecified anemia receiving blood transfusions and 15 healthy subjects were included in the study. Anemic subjects were divided into three subgrouP: (1) those that received up to five blood transfusions (n = 14); (2) those that received from five to ten transfusions (n = 11); and (3) those that received more than ten transfusions (n = 14). Blood samples were collected by venous arm puncture and stored in tubes containing heparin. The plasma and cells were separated by centrifugation and subsequently used for analyses. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison tests when appropriate.

RESULTS: The eletrophoretic hemoglobin profiles of the subjects included in this study indicated that no patients presented with hemoglobinopathy. Labile plasmatic iron, ferritin, protein carbonyl, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and dichlorofluorescein diacetate oxidation were significantly higher (P < 0.05), whereas total thiol levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in transfused subjects compared to controls. Additionally, the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly lower in the transfused subjects (P < 0.05). Antioxidant enzyme activities and total thiol levels were positively correlated (P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with the levels of protein carbonyl and TBARS (P < 0.05). In contrast, protein carbonyl and TBARS were positively correlated (P < 0.05). Altogether, these data confirm the involvement of OS in patients following therapy with repeated blood transfusions.

CONCLUSION: Our data reveal that changes in OS markers are correlated with levels of labile plasmatic iron and ferritin and the number of transfusions.

Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes, Labile iron content, Oxidative stress, Polytransfused subjects

Core tip: Here, the readers will find important information regarding iron accumulation and its correlation with oxidative damage markers in anemic subjects following blood therapy. This research, regarding iron accumulation and its associated toxicology is remarkable because the mechanism(s) involved in its mode of action are not fully understood. Thus, our data are extremely important for research concerning the involvement of iron overload on the development of human diseases.