Oxidative stress and changes in antioxidative defense system in erythrocytes of preeclampsia in women

The present study was designed to investigate whether oxidative stress occurred to erythrocytes in preeclampsia and was related to disease. Indicative markers of oxidative stress and changes in antioxidant defense system were assayed in the erythrocytes of 22 healthy pregnant and 20 women with preeclampsia. Results of our work indicated high concentration of hydrogen peroxide, nitrite, peroxynitrite and lipid peroxides in preeclampsia compared to healthy pregnant women. Concentration of superoxide anion was lower in preeclamptic women. There were no differences in concentrations of vitamin E, reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione. Activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was higher while activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) were lower in preeclamptic women. There were no differences in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity between the two investigated groups. These results suggest that preeclampsia was characterized by oxidative stress and alteration of antioxidative defense system by disbalance in oxidative/antioxidative status of erythrocytes.