Altered lipid peroxidation and antioxidant potential in human uterine tumors.

A comparative study of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant potential has been made in human uterus and uterine tumor. Two types of uterine tumor used are: tumor (I), a fibroid which is the commonest benign solid tumor in uterus and tumor (II), an adenomyoma. Tumor microsomes are less susceptible to lipid peroxidation induced by both enzymic (NADPH-ADP-Fe3+ and xanthine-xanthine-oxidase) and non-enzymic (ascorbate-Fe2+) systems except in the case of tumor (II) microsomes when induced with xanthine-xanthine oxidase. Resistance of tumor microsomes to lipid peroxidation is associated with the low content of substrates in the form of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), higher level of alpha-tocopherol, reduced glutathione and protein thiols and altered enzymic antioxidant potential (catalase and superoxide dismutase).