DIMINISHED PROTECTION AGAINST COPPER-INDUCED LIPID-PEROXIDATION BY CORD-BLOOD PLASMA OF PRETERM AND TERM INFANTS

Background: Blood plasma of neonates is less able to inhibit iron indu ced lipid peroxidation than plasma of older patients. Copper, also a p owerful pro-oxidant, may accumulate in ill babies because of excess in take or decreased excretion. We assessed in vitro the ability of plasm a of neonates to inhibit copper induced peroxidation damage. Methods: Peroxidation of phospholipid liposomes, induced by CuCl2, was measured with a thiobarbituric acid assay. The ability of plasma horn venous b lood of adults and cord blood of babies to inhibit peroxidation was co mpared. The levels of the copper binding plasma proteins, albumin and ceruloplasmin, were also measured. Results: Protection against copper induced lipid peroxidation was much higher with adult plasma compared to neonatal plasma. Despite their lower albumin and ceruloplasma level s the protection by the plasma of preterm babies was higher than that of the term babies. Conclusions: At birth, babies have a limited abili ty to inhibit copper induced oxidative damage in vitro. Postnatal stud ies are needing to assess the influence of maturation and nutrition on these findings and their relevance in diseases induced by reactive ox ygen species.