[Lipid peroxidation in the lymphocyte membrane and protein oxidation in the serum of elderly people. Are they potential markers of frailty and dependence? Preliminary results]. / Peroxidación lipídica en la membrana de los linfocitos y oxidación proteica en el suero de personas ancianas, ¿marcadores potenciales de fragilidad y dependencia? Resultados preliminares.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationships between lipid peroxidation of the lymphocyte membrane, protein oxidation and different markers of frailty and dependence. METHODS: The sample consisted of 15 elderly patients in an intermediate and long-term care center, who had not suffered any acute process recently. The geriatric assessment included, functional capacity (Barthel and Lawton indexes), comorbidity (Charlson index), and cognitive function (Mini Mental State Examination of Folstein). The frailty was estimated by the Hospital Admission Risk Profile (high risk of frailty 4-5 points, intermediate/low 0-3 points) and Frailty Scale of Rockwood (mild frailty<6, intermediate frailty/severe≥6). Lipid peroxidation was studied by determination of conjugated dienes and trienes. Analysis of protein oxidation was performed by determining malondialdehyde bound to plasma proteins, corrected by total protein quantification. RESULTS: Elderly patients at high risk of frailty according to Hospital Admission Risk Profile presented mean values of conjugated dienes of 7.94±1.32%, trienes of 1.75±0.51%, and malondialdehyde bound to plasma proteins of 141.9±27.3nmol/g. In the group of intermediate/low risk, these values were 4.96±2.77% (P=.035), 1.37±0.78% (P=.337) and 96.4±31.5nmol/g (P=.022), respectively. In those with intermediate/severe frailty according to the Frailty Scale of Rockwood, these values were 7.06±2.18%; 1.73±0.50% and 119.6±37.9nmol/g, respectively, and in those with mild frailty 2.56±1.48% (P=014); 0.61±0.58% (P=020) and 173.2±51.9nmol/g (P=.144), respectively. There was good correlation between the Hospital Admission Risk Profile score and malondialdehyde bound to plasma proteins (r=0.70; P=01) and between the Frailty Scale of Rockwood score and conjugated dienes (r=0.65; P=01). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients with a higher degree of frailty appear to have greater levels of lipid peroxidation, which could be considered a marker of frailty.

Oxidative stress and autoimmune response in the infertile woman.

There is convincing evidence that the establishment of a chronic inflammatory response, together with the presence of a local oxidative environment, could play an important role in the etiology and the progression of several human diseases. In the reproductive system, pathologies such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, tubal obstruction, preeclampsia and recurrent abortions are related to the presence of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-1) and to high levels of free radicals that may damage biological molecules, such as lipids, proteins or DNA. Membrane lipids become oxidized and some of their products (malondialdehyde, acetaldehyde, hydroxynonenal) chemically modify proteins. These modified proteins consequently can change their function, antigenicity and therefore become implicated in immunological deleterious reactions associated with inflammatory and/or autoimmune injury. An altered protein function and the presence of circulating autoantibodies to new epitopes, such as malondialdehyde bound to proteins, could block some membrane surface antigens with a receptor function in the reproductive system. This explains how sperm capacitation, oocyte fertilization, or embryo implantation may be inhibited as a consequence of oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Peroxidación lipídica en la membrana de los linfocitos y oxidación proteica en el suero de personas ancianas, ¿marcadores potenciales de fragilidad y dependencia? Resultados preliminaries / Lipid peroxidation in the lymphocyte membrane and protein oxidation in the serum of elderly people. Are they potential markers of frailty and dependence? Preliminary results

Objetivo. Estudiar la relación entre peroxidación lipídica de la membrana linfocitaria, oxidación proteica y diferentes marcadores de fragilidad y dependencia. Métodos. La muestra estaba compuesta por 15 ancianos de un centro sociosanitario, que no habían sufrido ningún proceso agudo reciente. Valoración geriátrica: capacidad funcional (índices de Barthel y Lawton), comorbilidad (índice de Charlson) y función cognitiva (Mini Mental State Examination de Folstein). La fragilidad se estimó mediante el Hospital Admission Risk Profile (alto riesgo de fragilidad 4-5 puntos, intermedio/bajo 0-3 puntos) y la Escala de Fragilidad Canadiense de Rockwood (fragilidad leve < 6, fragilidad intermedia/severa ≥ 6). La peroxidación lipídica se estudió mediante determinación de dienos y trienos conjugados. El análisis de la oxidación proteica se realizó mediante la determinación de malondialdehído unido a proteínas plasmáticas, corregido por la cuantificación de proteínas totales. Resultados. Los ancianos con alto riesgo de fragilidad según el Hospital Admission Risk Profile presentaron valores medios de dienos conjugados del 7,94 ± 1,32%; de trienos 1,75 ± 0,51% y de malondialdehído unido a proteínas plasmáticas 141,9 ± 27,3 nmol/g; en los de riesgo intermedio/bajo, estos valores eran 4,96 ± 2,77% (p = 0,035), 1,37 ± 0,78% (p = 0,337) y 96,4 ± 31,5 nmol/g (p = 0,022), respectivamente. En aquellos con fragilidad intermedia/severa según la Escala de Fragilidad Canadiense de Rockwood, estos valores fueron 7,06 ± 2,18%; 1,73 ± 0,50% y 119,6 ± 37,9 nmol/g; y en los de fragilidad leve 2,56 ± 1,48% (p = 0,014); 0,61 ± 0,58% (p = 0,020) y 173,2 ± 51,9 nmol/g (p = 0,144), respectivamente. Existió buena correlación entre la puntuación de Hospital Admission Risk Profile y el malondialdehído unido a proteínas plasmáticas (r = 0,70; p = 0,01) y entre la puntuación de la Escala de Fragilidad Canadiense de Rockwood y los dienos conjugados (r = 0,65; p = 0,01). Conclusiones. Los ancianos más frágiles parecen presentar mayor grado de peroxidación lipídica, lo que podría considerarse un marcador de fragilidad (AU)

Objective. To study the relationships between lipid peroxidation of the lymphocyte membrane, protein oxidation and different markers of frailty and dependence. Methods. The sample consisted of 15 elderly patients in an intermediate and long-term care center, who had not suffered any acute process recently. The geriatric assessment included, functional capacity (Barthel and Lawton indexes), comorbidity (Charlson index), and cognitive function (Mini Mental State Examination of Folstein). The frailty was estimated by the Hospital Admission Risk Profile (high risk of frailty 4-5 points, intermediate/low 0-3 points) and Frailty Scale of Rockwood (mild frailty < 6, intermediate frailty/severe ≥ 6). Lipid peroxidation was studied by determination of conjugated dienes and trienes. Analysis of protein oxidation was performed by determining malondialdehyde bound to plasma proteins, corrected by total protein quantification. Results. Elderly patients at high risk of frailty according to Hospital Admission Risk Profile presented mean values of conjugated dienes of 7.94 ± 1.32%, trienes of 1.75 ± 0.51%, and malondialdehyde bound to plasma proteins of 141.9 ± 27.3 nmol/g. In the group of intermediate/low risk, these values were 4.96 ± 2.77% (P = .035), 1.37 ± 0.78% (P = .337) and 96.4 ± 31.5 nmol/g (P = .022), respectively. In those with intermediate/severe frailty according to the Frailty Scale of Rockwood, these values were 7.06 ± 2.18%; 1.73 ± 0.50% and 119.6 ± 37.9 nmol/g, respectively, and in those with mild frailty 2.56 ± 1.48% (P = 014); 0.61 ± 0.58% (P = 020) and 173.2 ± 51.9 nmol/g (P = .144), respectively. There was good correlation between the Hospital Admission Risk Profile score and malondialdehyde bound to plasma proteins (r = 0.70; P = 01) and between the Frailty Scale of Rockwood score and conjugated dienes (r = 0.65; P = 01). Conclusions. Elderly patients with a higher degree of frailty appear to have greater levels of lipid peroxidation, which could be considered a marker of frailty (AU)

Measurement of cell death by oxidative stress in three-dimensional spheroids from trophoblast and in fragments of decidua tissue.

We report a new morphometric method for measurement of the amount of cell death in three-dimensional multicellular spheroids of the trophoblast-like cell line AC1-M59 and of cultured pieces of decidua tissue (decidua spheroids) in response to a cytotoxic agent. The viability of the spheroids was assessed by adding propidium iodide to the culture medium at the end of the toxic treatment. On fluorescence and brightfield images of serial cryosections the areas of propidium iodide fluorescence and the entire corresponding spheroids were measured by applying digital image processing and ratiometrical quantification. As an example, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of hydrogen peroxide on both types of spheroids. The relative potency of hydrogen peroxide to induce tissue damage was assessed quantitatively for determination of the minimal concentration that leads to an increase in cytotoxicity. The method presented suggests general applicability for in vitro determination of toxicity against tissues.

The effect of oxidative environment on immunosuppressive properties of human seminal plasma.

PROBLEM: Human seminal plasma (SP) has an important immunosuppressive function that enables sperm survival in the female reproductive tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate how oxidized proteins, by oxidative stress, may influence seminal plasma immunosuppressive properties in male infertility. METHOD OF STUDY: Human SP immunosuppressive ability was evaluated by a lymphocyte proliferation assay. We used phytohemagglutinin mitogen to induce lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of human SP from infertile and fertile men, and under in vitro oxidizing conditions. Human SP-oxidized proteins (MDA-protein) were determined by the thiobarbituric acid test. RESULTS: Significant high levels of oxidized proteins were found in SP from asthenozoospermic patients. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of SP from normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic group compared to the fertile donor group. Oxidized human SP in vitro allows for higher lymphocyte proliferation than non-oxidized SP. CONCLUSION: Human SP proteins have an inhibitory ability on lymphocyte proliferation, but under oxidative stress conditions, these proteins lose their immunosuppressive function.