Formation of isoprostanes in children with type IIa hypercholesterolemia

F-2-isoprostanes are stable lipid peroxidation products of arachidonic acid and their quantification provides a novel approach to the assessment of oxidative stress in vivo. F-2-isoprostanes are present in increased amounts in adult hypercholesterolemia, but no data exist concerning children. We investigated urinary isoprostaglandin F-2 alpha type ill production as an index of lipid peroxidation in 15 children presenting with type IIa hypercholesterolemia (serum total cholesterol, 290 [SD +/- 70] mg/dl; low-density Lipoprotein cholesterol, 210 [SD +/- 90] mg/dl) compared with 15 sex- and age-paired control children (serum total cholesterol, 160 [SD +/- 20] mg/dl). Urinary levels of isoprostaglandin F-2 alpha type III were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Urinary concentrations did not differ significantly in hypercholesterolemic children compared with control children (84.7 [SD +/- 37] vs. 96 [SD +/- 35] pmol/mmol creatinine, respectively). No significant correlation was found with total cholesterol, low-density-lipoprotein and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B and A(1) serum levels. F-2-isoprostane urinary levels in children with type IIa hypercholesterolemia do not differ from those of age- and sex-matched control children and are not correlated to blood lipid parameters, suggesting that hypercholesterolemia is not associated with increased lipid peroxidation in childhood.