engleski

Erythrocyte glutathione in subjects highly exposed to arsenic via drinking water

Glutathione is an important thiol-containing intracellular antioxidant with the fundamental role in redox homeostasis and detoxifi cation processes. Exposure of inhabitants to arsenic- contaminated drinking water has been a major concern at several localities in eastern Croatia. We investigated whether there was a relationship between glutathione in erythrocytes and arsenic exposure. Erythrocyte total glutathione concentration (GSH), was determined in 37 subjects exposed to high levels of arsenic from drinking water [mean arsenic concentration (611.9±10.1) μg L-1]. Twenty-fi ve control subjects were exposed to low arsenic concentration in drinking water (37.9 ± 4.8) μg L-1. Urinary arsenic concentration (814.40 μg L-1 vs. 27.64 μg L-1) and nails (10.68 μg L-1 vs. 0.31 μg L-1) were used as biomarkers of exposure. Decreased GSH levels [(2.94±1.15) μmol g-1 Hb] compared to control group [(5.14±1.06) μmol g-1 Hb] support the hypothesis of increased oxidative stress resulting from exposure to arsenic. A subsample of 20 exposed subjects took part in a 60-day supplementation trial with vitamin C (500 mg day-1) and E (200 mg day-1). GSH levels [(2.77±1.18) μmol g-1 Hb vs. (2.97±1.24) μmol g-1 Hb)] were not signifi cantly affected by antioxidant supplementation (p=0.56 ; only 6 subjects had higher GSH levels after trial). The results of this study indicated that high arsenic exposure signifi cantly lowered erythrocyte GSH levels and an ameliorating effect of antioxidant vitamins was not detected although further studies with larger sample size might be needed to confi rm this.

arsenic in water ; glutathione level ; vitamin supplementation

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