Oxidative stress markers in intestinal mucosa of Tunisian inflammatory bowel disease patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND / AIMS: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CrD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders. The precise etiology of IBD remains unclear, and it is thought that interactions among various factors, including, genetic factors, the host immune system and environmental factors, cause disruption of intestinal homeostasis, leading to dysregulated inflammatory responses of the gut. As inflammation is intimately related to formation of reactive intermediates, including, reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress has been proposed as a mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of IBD. The purpose of this study is to examine the lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and anti-oxidative profile in Tunisian IBD.

Materials and methods: Malondialdehyde (MDA), conjugated dienes (CD), protein thiol levels, as well as the catalase (CAT) activity were evaluated in intestinal biopsies of 17 patients affected by IBD (12 CrD and 5 UC) and 12 healthy control individuals.

Results: Oxidative stress was confirmed in these two types of disease biopsies as compared to controls. MDA and CD levels were significantly increased in both UC and CrD patients' biopsies as compared to controls' biopsies ( P < 0.001). CAT activity was similar in UC and CrD biopsies' and was not significantly increased in IBD patients' biopsies compared with controls' biopsies ( P > 0.05). Anon-significant decrease in thiol (SH) level was observed in both UC and CrD patients' biopsies compared with controls' biopsies ( P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Increased levels of MDA and CD in IBD patients' biopsies underline the implication of oxidative stress in the physiopathology of IBD.

Figure 1

Box plots showing the levels of malondialdehyde and conjugated dienes in biopsies of UC and CrD patients and biopsies of control subjects. MDA and CD levels were significantly increased in UC and CrD biopsies of patients compared with those of control subjects (MDA: P < 0.001; CD P < 0.001). *P < 0.05 as compared with control subjects

Figure 2

Box plots showing catalase activity in biopsies of UC and CrD patients and biopsies of control subjects. Our data show a non significant rise in catalase activity in UC and CrD patients’ biopsies compared with controls’ biopsies (P > 0.05)

Figure 3

Box plots showing the levels of thiol SH in biopsies of UC and CrD patients and biopsies of control subjects, non significant decrease in SH level was observed in patients’ biopsies compared with controls’ biopsies (P > 0.05)