Regulation of Membrane Peroxidation in Health and Disease
1 Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, and the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis
The studies conducted on weanling rats deprived of vitamin E revealed the critical need of this vitamin to protect the PMN from oxidative damage. It now remains to be seen whether human newborn infants would benefit from further vitamin E supplementation. Recent studies have indicated that bronchopulmonary dysplasia in the premature infant may be ameliorated by supplementation with vitamin E.19 Not only does high concentrations of oxygen induce toxicity in the lung but it damages the membranes of alveolar phagocytic cells obtained from animals exposed to toxic concentrations of oxygen for two days.36 Whether antioxidant supplementation can protect as well as enhance phagocytic function in the normal newborn or the infant requiring oxygen support remains to be determined.




