Increased susceptibility to lipid peroxidation in skeletal muscles of dystrophic hamsters.

The results showed that the total content of lipids, which could be peroxidized with Fe(2 +)/ascorbate stimulation in vitro, was 45.4% and 53.7% higher than normal in the dystrophic hamster muscle at the age of 1 and 3 months, respectively. Correspondingly, the susceptibility to lipid peroxidation (stimulated by ADP-chelated iron at 37 degrees C) was 38.6-74.3% higher in dystrophic muscles. The increases were not related to necrotic lesions and inflammation observed. The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase, thioredoxin reductase and catalase were increased in dystrophic muscles but those of superoxide dismutases and glutathione peroxidase were unaffected.