Glutathione metabolism and antioxidant enzymes in children with Down syndrome.

Oxidative stress has been proposed as a pathogenic mechanism of atherosclerosis, cell aging, and neurologic disorders in Down syndrome. This study demonstrates a systemic decrease of all glutathione forms, including glutathionyl-hemoglobin, in the blood of children with Down syndrome. Furthermore, we obtained a disequilibrium, in vivo, between the antioxidant enzyme activities.