Leucocyte glutathione peroxidase activity and selenium level in multiple sclerosis.

In continuation of our previous studies, which demonstrated a decreased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of erythrocytes from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients the activity of some enzymes regulating the peroxide level (GSH-PX and glutathione reductase (GSSG-Rd)) in leucocytes and erythrocytes respectively, the selenium level of whole blood and the beta-glucuronidase activity of serum (marker of lysosomal membrane damage) were assayed in this group of patients. GSH-Px activity in lymphocytes and granulocytes from MS patients was significantly (2 alpha smaller than or equal to 0.01) decreased by 35-50%. Erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity was only insignificantly decreased in MS patients. Erythrocyte GSH-Px : GSSG-Rd ratio was 11.0 for the control group, but 8.0 for the MS group. The selenium content of whole blood and serum from Danish MS patients was normal. The selenium level in erythrocytes from Danish MS patients was however higher than the selenium level in erythrocytes from controls.