Blood Antioxidant System During Follicular and Luteal Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

Introduction

It has been suggested that estrogens, apart from their main functions (the stimulation of maturation and maintenance of the reproductive system, the cyclic maturation of the ova and secondary sex characteristics) may also possess antioxidant properties. 17β-estradiol was found to significantly decrease in vitro formation of single and double strand breaks in DNA induced by hydrogen peroxide alone or with copper [1]. Additionally, estrone, 17β-estradiol and estriol were shown to inhibit microsomal membrane phospholipid peroxidation induced by free radical-promoting agents [2]. In isolated rat hepatocytes, pharmacological doses of 17β-estradiol were found to reduce endogenous lipid peroxidation expressed as MDA concentration [3]. Moreover, antioxidant properties of progesterone were also postulated [4]. It is well known that red blood cells (RBCs) are especially vulnerable to oxidative damage because of their continuous exposure to oxygen and their high concentration of heme iron and polyunsaturated fatty acids. On the other hand, RBCs are well protected from oxidative stress by cytosolic (glutathione, gluthatione reductase, gluthatione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase) and membrane-bound (α-tocopherol) antioxidant systems [5]. In this study, we examined whether physiological fluctuations in plasma 17β-estradiol and progesterone concentrations due to the menstrual cycle affect blood antioxidant potential.

References

• 1 Tang M, Subbiah Ravi M T. Estrogens protect against hydrogen peroxide and arachidonic acid induced DNA damage.  Biochim Biophys Acta. 1996;  1299 155-159
• 2 Sugioka K, Shimosegawa Y, Nakano M. Estrogens as natural antioxidants of membrane phospholipid peroxidation.  FEBS Lett. 1987;  210 37-39
• 3 Begoňa Ruiz-Larrea M, Jesús Garrido M, Lacort M. Estradiol-induced protection of glutathione metabolism in rat hepatocytes.  J Biochem. 1993;  113 563-567
• 4 Subramanian M, Pusphendran C, Tarachand U, Devasgayan T. Gestation confers temporary resistance to peroxidation in maternal rat brain.  Neurosci Lett. 1993;  155 151-154
• 5 Hebbel R P, Eaton J W. Pathobiology of heme interaction with the erythrocyte membrane.  Sem Hematol. 1989;  26 136-149
• 6 Hackney A C, Compton-McCracken M N, Ainsworth B. Substrate responses to submaximal exercise in the midfollicular and midluteal phases of the menstrual cycle.  Int J Sport Nutr. 1994;  4 299-308
• 7 Beutler E. Reduced glutathione (GSH).  In: Red cell metabolism.  New York, San Francisco, London:; Grune and Straton, 1975: 112-114
• 8 Misra H P. Adrenochrome assay.  In: Handbook of methods for oxygen radical research. Greenwald RA (ed). Boca Raton, Florida:; CRC Press Inc, 1987: 237-241
• 9 Aebi H. Catalase in vitro. In: Methods in Enzymology. 1984 105: 121-126
• 10 Kostka  T P, Drai J, Berthauze S E, Lacour JR, Bonnefoy M. Physical activity, fitness and integrated antioxidant system in healthy active elderly women.  Int J Sports Med. 1998;  19 462-467