R. Wildburger et al., Post-traumatic dynamic changes in the antibody titer against oxidized low density lipoproteins, WIEN KLIN W, 112(18), 2000, pp. 798-803
Oxidized low density lipoproteins (oLDL) are products of systemic oxidative
stress initiated by the mechanism of free radical induced lipid peroxidati
on. Oxidatively modified epitopes on LDL molecules are immunogenic and anti
bodies against such epitopes are generated.
The aim of the study was to determine whether traumatic injury and conseque
nt oxidative stress are accompanied by changes in the titer of autoantibodi
es against oLDL, and to determine whether patients with different injuries
can be distinguished by measuring their anti-oLDL titer.
Sera of twenty-four patients divided into three groups of eight subjects ea
ch were investigated by an anti-oLDL ELISA immunoassay: 1) patients with bo
ne fractures, 2) with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 3) with both bone fr
actures and TBI. The patients were followed during four weeks after injury
and anti-oLDL titers were determined on a weekly basis. The control group c
onsisted of 22 healthy persons.
The lowest antibody titer was measured in all groups during the Ist week af
ter injury. While the serum levels of patients with combined injury did not
differ from those of the other two groups, the levels of patients with TBI
were significantly higher than those of patients with isolated bone fractu
res. During the four-week convalescence, a gradual and significant increase
in the anti-oLDL titer was observed in all patients. However, this value w
as increased above normal values only in the sera of patients with TBI duri
ng the third and the fourth week after injury.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the regulation of b
one synthesis and remodelling. Therefore, we assume that the combination of
a fracture with TBI-mediated post-traumatic stress response might be relat
ed to the altered fracture healing (enhanced osteogenesis) frequently obser
ved in these patients.