Catalase evaluation in different human diseases associated with oxidative stress

OBJECTIVE: Catalase is an enzyme present in most of the aerobic cells, it protects them from oxidative stress by catalyzing the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in two types of reactions depending on its peroxidatic and catalatic activities. The aim of this study was to measure the erythrocytes catalase activity by a reliable method in normal subjects with different age categories, and patients whom suffer from different diseases associated with oxidative stress (inflammatory, tumor, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, anemia and Wilson's disease).

METHODS: Erythrocytes catalase activity was measured, by peroxidatic method (Johansson-Borg method), in 210 apparently healthy subjects, (117 males and 93 females). The range of their ages was from 7 months to 65 years, and in 454 patients their ages ranged from 3 months to 74 years, whom suffer from the above mentioned diseases which resulted in oxidative stress. The comparison had been made between the Johansson-Borg and the UV catalase methods.

RESULTS: Strong correlation was found between the two methods, peroxidatic and catalatic (r=0.99, P<0.0001), but the catalase solutions were unstable when the temperature was raised. The normal range of catalase was found to be 2869+1039 u/g Hb. It was found that the catalase activity increased in the studied morbidity groups (eg. 188% in oxidative anemia). An accepted decrease 50% was noted in catalase activity when Vitamin E was administered to anemic patients suffering from oxidative stress.

CONCLUSION: There was an increase in catalase activity in all studied patients suffering from oxidative stress (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, tumor, inflammation, dermatological diseases, anemia and Wilson’s disease). The catalase activity was not affected by age, sex or the anticoagulant agent, which was used to collect the blood samples. It was found that the Vitamin E supplement decreased the catalase activity and improved the state of anemic oxidative stress patients.