OXIDATIVE STRESS AND OVEREXPRESSION OF MANGANESE SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASEIN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Substantial evidence supports the hypothesis that oxygen free radicals are involved in various neurodegenerative disorders. To assess the pr esence of oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease (AD) we examined the activity of the enzyme copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) in red blood cells, the levels of the mitochondrial inducible enzyme mang anese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) mRNA in lymphocytes, and the total radical-trapping antioxidant capacity (TRAP) in plasma of AD patients and in a group of age-matched non-demented controls. We found that CuZ nSOD activity (P < 0.01 vs. controls) was significantly increased as w ell as the MnSOD mRNA levels while the total antioxidant status (P < 0 .001 vs. controls) was decreased in AD patients. These findings suppor t the role of oxidative alterations in the pathogenetic mechanism unde rlying AD neurodegeneration. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Al l rights reserved.