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August 2002

Alopecia Areata Affects Oxidative Status


"Antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation in the scalp of patients with alopecia areata"

By David Loshak

Oxidative status is affected in alopecia areata and lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Researchers in Ankara, Turkey, report finding high levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity in scalps affected by alopecia areata. These levels, they say, cannot protect against reactive oxygen species because lipid peroxidation cannot be reduced in patients with the condition.

The researchers noted that little was known about changes in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in the scalps of patients with alopecia areata, an autoimmune inflammatory disease.

To investigate the status of oxidative stress in such cases, the researchers measured the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances as a marker of lipid peroxidation status, and of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase as markers of antioxidant enzymes in the scalp, in ten patients with alopecia areata and in ten healthy controls.

Levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the scalps of patients with alopecia were significantly higher than in controls.

Levels of superoxide dismutase were also significantly higher with alopecia than in controls.

Likewise, levels of glutathione peroxidase were significantly higher than in controls.

Mean levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the early phase of the disease were twice as high as in the late phase.

Journal of Dermatological Science 2002:29(2):85-90