Oxidative radicals and liver involvement of infants with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Low levels of alpha-1-antitrypsin can predispose deficient infants to the development of hepatitis and cirrhosis. Heterozygous PiMZ carriers can be affected by a subclinical liver involvement during their first half year of life. One pathogenic hypothesis of liver damage is that the process seems to be mediated by the activity of toxic oxygen waste products. In the present investigation it was found that the antioxidant vitamin E was able to significantly reduce the frequency of liver involvement in PiMZ carriers at two months of age but not at five months. These findings indicate that oxidative free radicals can promote liver damage in inadequately protected young infants, such as in alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. The protective role of vitamin E in relation to the developmental expression of other anti-oxidant scavengers is discussed.