PLASMA SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE AND GLUTATHIONE-PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY IN SPORADIC AMYOTROPHIC-LATERAL-SCLEROSIS

To determine the possible role of oxydative stress in the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS), we measured the plasma activiti es of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), tog ether with GPX and malone dialdehyde (MDA, a marker of lipoperoxydatio n) plasma concentrations in a sample of 21 SALS patients and 7 normal control (NC) subjects. MDA concentration and SOD activity were signifi cantly higher, whereas GPX activity was significantly lower in SALS pa tients than in NC. Increased MDA concentration provides indirect confi rmation of excess lipoperoxydation. Increased plasma SOD activity migh t I reflect the involvement of extra-cellular SOD (SOD3), a hitherto u nreported finding in SALS. Impaired GPX activity, which has already be en found in red blood cells and brain tissue of SALS patients, might p lay a part in the pathogenesis of this disease. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie nce B.V.