BLOOD-CELL REDOX STATUS AND FATTY-ACIDS

Glutathione-dependent peroxidase (GSH-Px) degrades the deleterious hyd roperoxides, including those issued from arachidonic acid (AA) by the action of lipoxygenases, into their alcohol counterpart. We report tha t the hyperactivity of platelets from elderly people and of polymorpho nuclear neutrophils from allergic patients, at least partly due to hig her formation of thromboxane A(2) and leukotriene B-4, respectively, i s associated with a depressed GSH-Px activity, As we report that n-3 f atty acids may enhance the cell GSH-Px activity, we conclude that the reduction of cell hyperactivity described in response to those fatty a cids might be linked to their effect on GSH-Px.