Gender differences in oxidative and nitrosative stress parameters in kidney transplant patients on tacrolimus-based immunosuppression

• Published in: International urology and nephrology Vol. 46; no. 6; pp. 1217 - 1224
• Main Authors: Cvetkovic, Tatjana P., Stefanovic, Nikola Z., Velickovic-Radovanovic, Radmila M., Paunovic, Goran J., Djordjevic, Vidojko M., Stojanovic, Dijana R., Stojanovic, Ivana R., Pavlovic, Dusica D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-06-2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Advanced Oxidation Protein Products - blood; Arginine - analogs & derivatives; Arginine - blood; Catalase - blood; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Kidney Transplantation; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Mycophenolic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Mycophenolic Acid - therapeutic use; Nephrology; Nephrology - Original Paper; Nitrates - blood; Nitrites - blood; Oxidative Stress; Prednisone - therapeutic use; Sex Factors; Sulfhydryl Compounds - blood; Tacrolimus - therapeutic use; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; Urology; ADMA; Oxidative and nitrosative stress; Gender differences; TBARS; Tacrolimus; Kidney transplantation
• ISSN: 0301-1623; 1573-2584
• DOI: 10.1007/s11255-013-0577-x

Background
Cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality rates are still higher after kidney transplantation than in general population. It is known that oxidative and nitrosative stress may contribute to the progress of CV disease in a post-transplant period, but still gender aspect has not been elucidated completely. The aim of this study was to analyze the gender differences in the oxidative and nitrosative stress parameters, as well as asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels among kidney transplant patients on tacrolimus-based immunosuppression.
Methods
Our research included 35 patients (20 men and 15 women) with renal transplant and 25 healthy volunteers. Patients were on chronic immunosuppressive regimen, which included tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone. In order to estimate oxidative and nitrosative stress, we determined plasma levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), activity of catalase (CAT), levels of total (protein and non-protein) sulfhydryl (SH) groups, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), ADMA and SDMA, as well as nitrite/nitrate (NOx) ratio.
Results
TBARS, CAT and SH in plasma were significantly higher in male patients than in female patients (
p
 < 0.05,
p
 < 0.01 and
p
 < 0.05, respectively). There were no gender-dependent differences in AOPP, ADMA, SDMA and NOx in kidney transplant patients. Correlation analysis, Pearson and Spearman, showed significant correlations between tested oxidative and nitrosative stress parameters in male kidney transplant patients. Alternatively, in female patients, there were no significant correlations between tested parameters.
Conclusion
Our findings show that men might be more prone to oxidative damage than women. ADMA, the proven marker of CV morbidity and mortality, may be more significant in male kidney transplant patients concerning oxidative stress control of its level and function.