Activities of Antioxidant Enzymes in Neutrophils from Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

To know the mechanism of impaired bactericidal function, especially impaired hydrogen peroxide production, in neutrophils from patients with diabetes mellitus, the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were determined in neutrophils from 12 patients with diabetes mellitus. Catalase activity in the neutrophils from the patients with diabetes mellitus were higher than that from healthy controls (P<0.05). Glutathione peroxidase activity in the neutrophils was higher without significance. Superoxide dismutase activity in the neutrophils was lower without significance. These results suggest that the production of hydrogen peroxide exerting a direct germicidal ability is impaired in patients with diabetes mellitus due to the decrease in dismutation of superoxide radicals by superoxide dismutase and the increase in dismutation of hydrogen peroxide by catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and these alterations might affect microbicidal activity of neutrophils in patients with diabetes mellitus.