[The role of oxidative stress in the etiology of pre-eclampsia: changes at the GSH and GSH-Px levels in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia]

Abstract

Several recent studies have reported that there is an imbalance of increased oxidant status and decreased antioxidant system in women with preeclampsia and that factor might contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. The following study examined blood levels of some of the antioxidants (glutathione, glutathione-peroxidase and -SH groups) as markers of lipid peroxidation in women with preeclampsia compared with normal gestation. Blood levels of these antioxidants were found significantly decreased in women with preeclampsia, which allowed us to speculate that there were abnormally increased levels of lipid peroxides. We believe that lipid peroxides are toxic compounds that damage endothelial cells, increase peripheral vasoconstriction and increase thromboxane synthesis and decrease prostacyclin synthesis. We consider that lipid peroxides are not the cause but the effect of oxidative stress induced by ischaemic placenta and leukocytes activation, so the contribute but not induce pathogenesis in preeclampsia.