Association between intestinal and antioxidant barriers in children with cancer

OBJECTIVE Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role in cancerogenesis processing and damage tissues. Furthermore, oncological treatment may impair proper function of the gut barrier. The aim of this study was to measure intestinal permeability in children in clinical remission for solid tumours and to search for a possible relationship between free radicals and the intestinal barrier. No such investigation in children has been reported so far. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES The prospective study consisted of 19 paediatric patients with cancer after completion of chemotherapy. 32 healthy children from the outpatients clinics were recruited for measurement of intestinal permeability and antioxidant barrier as a control group. Intestinal permeability was assessed by measurement of urinary lactulose and mannitol after oral challenge. Antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in erythrocytes were assessed. Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) concentration was measured in serum. RESULTS Cancer patients excreted less mannitol and more lactulose versus controls. The ratio of lactulose to mannitol was significantly higher in oncological children vs control (mean 0.188 and 0.0453, respectively, p=0.0006,). Significantly higher IMA level in the oncological group vs control was noted (mean 123.8 and 87.3 U/ml, respectively, p=0.0037). No correlation between intestinal permeability and oxidative stress barrier was found. CONCLUSIONS Our data shows that intestinal barrier is damaged in paediatric cancer patients after chemotherapy. IMA is believed to play a protective role in the defence against tissue damage. No correlation was found between these two barriers.