Positive Health Online

Abstract

KUCHARSKA and colleagues, Farmakobiochemicke laboratorium III, internej klinky Lekarskej fakulty Unvierzity Komenskeho v Bratislave, Slovakia write that pathobiochemical mechanisms involved in the rejection of transplanted hearts are not fully clarified. They note that a significant role in the process may be played by endogenous antioxidants, particularly coenzyme Q10, which apart from its antioxidative properties is vital for providing cellular bioenergy. @m: The authors studied the concentration of Q10 alpha-tocopherol in endomyocardial biopsies in 11 patients aged 19 years following heart transplantation (HTx-pat); controls were 13 patients with cardiopathies of unclear origin (KPNP-pat) who were potential transplant candidates. @r: Compared to KPNP-pat patients, thee was a decreased concentration of coenzyme Q10 in the myocardium and blood of HTx-pat patients. Alpha-tocopherol in myocardium were the same in both groups but were higher in plasma in HTx patients. @d:DISCUSSION: The authors think that levels of coenzyme Q10 following HTx may be influenced by an increase in free oxygen radicals during rejection episodes and immunosuppressive therapy. @c: These results provide the first information regarding levels of coenzyme Q10 and alpha-tocopherol in patients following heart transplanation and may contribute to the clarification of pathobiochemical mechanisms of rejection.

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References

Kucharska J et al. Coenzyme Q10 and alpha-tocopherol in patients after heart transplanatation. Bratisl Lek Listy 97(10): 603-6. Oct 1996.