Short Communications
Developmental Changes in Hepatic Antioxidant Capacity Are Age-and Sex-Dependent
2009 Volume 111 Issue 4 Pages 440-445
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2009 Volume 111 Issue 4 Pages 440-445
Developmental inadequacy in hepatic antioxidant defenses may contribute to chemical toxicity and pediatric liver diseases. We measured a comprehensive panel of antioxidants in liver tissue from 27 normal pediatric donors. Glutathione reductase declined with age (P = 0.008, r = −0.54, Spearman) while microsomal glutathione-S-transferase increased (GST, P<0.001, r = 0.81). Males had significantly lower superoxide dismutase and vitamin E (P<0.05) and may have lower glutathione reductase (P = 0.06), while females show less cytosolic GST (P = 0.07). Hepatic antioxidants are high in neonates, decline throughout childhood, and then increase in adolescence to adult levels.
