Search

The understanding of oxidative damage in different neurodegenerative diseases could enhance therapeutic strategies. Our objective was to quantify lipoperoxidation and other oxidative products as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes and cofactors in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. We recorded data from all new patients with a diagnosis of either one of the four most frequent neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD) and lateral amyotrophic sclerosis (ALS). The sum of nitrites and nitrates as end products of nitric oxide (NO) were increased in the four degenerative diseases and fluorescent lipoperoxidation products in three (excepting ALS). A decreased Cu/Zn-dependent superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity characterized the four diseases. A significantly decreased ferroxidase activity was found in PD, HD and AD, agreeing with findings of iron deposition in these entities, while free copper was found to be increased in CSF and appeared to be a good biomarker of PD.

This study analyzes the relationship between amino acids and pain perception during active labor. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the excitatory amino acids (EAAs)-glutamate, aspartate and their amide forms, inhibitory amino acids (IAAs)-glycine, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and taurine and nitric oxide (NO) related compounds-arginine and citrulline (by-product of NO synthesis) were compared between pregnant women at term pregnancy with labor pain (n = 38) and without labor pain (Caesarian section; n = 30). The levels of aspartate, glycine, GABA and citrulline were significantly higher; whilst taurine was significantly lower in the labor pain group. These findings suggest that aspartate and NO are associated with labor pain. An inhibitory role for the IAA taurine and a pronociceptive role for glycine in labor pain are proposed.

To determine whether or not the occurrence of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) is associated with both excess nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and decreased protective superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), we measured nitrate concentration and SOD activity in the CSF of sALS patients and in age- and gender-matched controls. We found stable NO metabolite levels to be significantly higher and SOD activity lower in the CSF of sALS patients. In addition, SOD showed a negative correlation with motor neuron axonal damage expressed as the amplitude of motor action potentials in upper limbs. Our results provide new evidence in vivo suggesting that NO products and SOD activity play a role in oxidant/ antioxidant imbalance in sporadic ALS.