Erythrocyte caspase-3 and antioxidant defense is activated in red blood cells and plasma of type 2 diabetes patients at first clinical onset

• Published in: Redox report : communications in free radical research Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 56 - 62
• Main Authors: Savu, Octavian, Bradescu, Ovidiu Marius, Serafinceanu, Cristian, Iosif, Liviu, Tirgoviste, Constantin Ionescu, Stoian, Irina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Antioxidants - metabolism; Case-Control Studies; Caspase; Caspase 3 - blood; Catalase - blood; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Glutathione Peroxidase - blood; Humans; Hypertension - etiology; Hypertension - metabolism; Lipid Peroxides - blood; Malondialdehyde - blood; Middle Aged; Oxidative status; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Superoxide Dismutase - blood
• ISSN: 1351-0002; 1743-2928; 1743-2928
• DOI: 10.1179/1351000213Y.0000000040

Objectives We studied erythrocyte (RBC) caspase-3 activity and oxidative status in plasma and RBCs of 33 patients with type 2 diabetes at first clinical onset and 23 age-matched non-diabetes control subjects. Methods Caspase-3 activity was assayed during the life span of RBCs; lipid peroxides and total antioxidant capacity (TEAC) were assessed in plasma and RBCs as indicators of oxidative stress and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense; and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activity were measured in RBCs as enzymatic antioxidants. Results We found that, compared to controls, RBCs caspase-3 is activated early in type 2 diabetes (P < 0.05); TEAC and malondialdehyde increased in plasma of patients with early diabetes, even when hypertension and macroangiopathy were present (P < 0.01); and RBCs TEAC, malondialdehyde (P < 0.01), superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase (P < 0.05) exhibited similar behavior in patients with diabetes and hypertensive patients with diabetes. Discussion Increased antioxidant defense in plasma and RBCs of early type 2 diabetes patients is a potential mechanism that can overcome oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species overproduction, and occurs even in RBCs with a decreased life span. This observation could provide a possible explanation for the controversial effects of antioxidant supplementation in diabetes patients.