Fluidity and oxidative stress in erythrocytes from very low birth weight infants during their first 7 days of life.

OBJECTIVE: To study the evolution of lipid peroxidation, enzymatic antioxidants response, lipid profile and membrane fluidity in erythrocytes from very low birth weight (VLBW) infants during their first 7 days of extra-uterine life. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred and twenty infants were selected and divided in two groups according to their weight and gestational age. Hydroperoxides, fatty-acid profile, fluidity (DPH and TMA-DPH) and catalase, SOD and GPx activities were measured in erythrocytes. RESULTS: VLBW group showed higher concentration of hydroperoxides and lower membrane fluidity during the first 72 h, lower SOD activity during the first 3 h and higher GPx activity during the first 7 days of life. Also, this group showed lower n-3 polyunsaturated fatty-acids percentage with respect to the term group. CONCLUSION: Erythrocytes from VLBW infants showed higher oxidative damage and lower fluidity in their membranes, at least during the first 3 days of extra-uterine life, which may cause alterations in their functions and flexibility.

Coenzyme Q addition to an n-6 PUFA-rich diet resembles benefits on age-related mitochondrial DNA deletion and oxidative stress of a MUFA-rich diet in rat heart.

Age-related changes in cardiomyocytes reduce the capacity to recover from acute injury or to adapt during chronic disease in advanced age. N-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6PUFA) lead to higher lipid peroxidation during aging than the less oxidizable monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA); and coenzyme Q (CoQ)-supplemented n-6PUFA lengthens the lifespan and reduces peroxidation in comparison to non-supplemented n-6PUFA. Here, lifelong feeding on MUFA, n-6PUFA, and n-6 PUFA+CoQ was compared regarding age-related alterations in rat heart. Less mitochondrial area and perimeter were reported for aged n-6 PUFA-fed animals while MUFA led to a higher density of mitochondrial cristae. Mitochondrial complexes and cytochrome c oxidase activity decreased with aging (except complex I and cytochrome c oxidase in n-6 PUFA+CoQ), while increased apoptosis-inducing factor was found with aging. MUFA led to lower mitochondrial DNA-deletion frequency. The lowest hydroperoxide levels for aged animals were found for n-6 PUFA+CoQ, which also showed lower concentrations than did n-6 PUFA. For protein oxidation, specific carbonyl compounds were lower in aged animals; meanwhile lipoxidation-derived protein-oxidation markers were higher. The results suggest that MUFA can protect mitochondria from age-related changes, and that CoQ supplementation to n-6 PUFA partially resembles MUFA benefits. Moreover, under our experimental conditions, lipid-derived oxidative damage appears to be more important than the pure protein-derived oxidative damage during aging.