Increased oxidative stress and xanthine oxidase activity in human ruptured cerebral aneurysms

Abstract

Recent studies have suggested that oxidative stress may be involved in the development of arterial aneurysms. Xanthine oxidase is implicated in the generation of reactive oxygen species under pathological conditions in the cardiovascular system, and increased xanthine oxidase activity has been reported in human aortic aneurysms. We, therefore, studied the changes of xanthine oxidase activity and oxidative stress in human ruptured cerebral aneurysms. Six cerebral aneurysmal samples were obtained during surgery. Normal arteries of the similar size (one superficial temporal artery, four uterine arteries and three right gastroepiploic arteries) were used as controls. The xanthine oxidase activit..