Antioxidant status and glutathione metabolism in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic hepatitis C

Background/Aims: Oxidative stress could play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus infection. We investigated the oxidant/antioxidant status in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic hepatitis C and controls. Methods/Results: Lipid peroxidation products and superoxide dismutase activ ity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were higher in chronic hepatitis C patients than in healthy subjects while glutathione S-transferase activit y was reduced in patients as compared to controls. Catalase, glutathione pe roxidase and glutathione reductase were similar in chronic hepatitis C and normal individuals, No statistically significant differences were found bet ween patients and controls with regard to glutathione levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, but 35% of patients with chronic hepatitis C showe d values of glutathione and oxidized glutathione which were below and above , respectively, the limits of normal controls. Finally, the glutathione syn thetic capacity of the cytosol of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was si gnificantly higher in patients than in controls, indicating increased gluta thione turnover in lymphocytes from patients with chronic hepatitis C, Conclusions: Oxidative stress is observed in peripheral blood mononuclear c ells from chronic hepatitis C patients. This process might alter lymphocyte function and facilitate the chronicity of the infection.