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Folate and vitamin B-6 status are not associated with homocysteine, oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 70, pages 855–858 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to study the effects of serum folate and plasma pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) on plasma homocysteine, oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities in 44 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and 56 healthy controls. The responses of folate, vitamin B-6, homocysteine, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activities in HCC patients before and after tumor resection were also determined. Patients with HCC before tumor resection had significantly lower folate, PLP, homocysteine, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels, but higher malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity and glutathione S-transferase activity when compared with healthy controls. Oxidative stress was significantly decreased to a level similar to that of healthy controls after tumor resection in the HCC group. There were no associations of folate and PLP with plasma homocysteine, indicators of oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities. Serum folate and plasma PLP were not significant factors affecting plasma homocysteine, oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities in patients with HCC.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partially supported by a grant from Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan (TCVGH-1034602B) and partially supported by a grant from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (NSC 101-2320-B-040-016-MY3). We thank the nurses and technicians at Taichung Veterans General Hospital for providing expert assistance with the collection and analysis of the blood samples.

Author contributions

S-BC was responsible for screening of subjects, hematological measurements and statistical analyses. H-TL was responsible for the screening of subjects and interpretation of the results. P-TL was responsible for interpretation of the results. C-YL was responsible for the screening of subjects. Y-CH was responsible for the development of intellectual content and the study design, interpretation of the results and manuscript drafting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    S-B Cheng, H-T Liu & C-Y Lai

  2. School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    S-B Cheng, H-T Liu & C-Y Lai

  3. School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    P-T Lin & Y-C Huang

  4. Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    P-T Lin & Y-C Huang

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  1. S-B Cheng
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  2. H-T Liu
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  3. P-T Lin
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  4. C-Y Lai
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  5. Y-C Huang
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Correspondence to Y-C Huang.

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Cheng, SB., Liu, HT., Lin, PT. et al. Folate and vitamin B-6 status are not associated with homocysteine, oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Eur J Clin Nutr 70, 855–858 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2015.222

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2015.222

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