LEUKEMIA;

Background: Leukemia is a hematological malignancy i.e. that arises in theblood progenitor cells. It is a tumor of white blood cells which is characterized by uncontrolledproliferation of immature hematopoietic WBCs in bone marrow. Leukemia is of two types myeloidand lymphoid and two subtypes acute and chronic. Acute lymphoid leukemia is most commonin children. There are certain risk factors associated with leukemia like ionizing radiations,genetic polymorphisms. Drug resistance in leukemia is linked with polymorphisms for genecoding enzymatic antioxidants. Multiple circulating biochemical markers depict pathogenesisof leukemia. Elevated reactive oxygen species and decreased antioxidant elements revealoccurrence of various malignancies. Study Design: Case Control Study. Setting: Study wasconducted at Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), University of Lahore.Period of Study: One year. Materials and Methods: Blood samples of 270 leukemic patientsbetween the age of 30-55 were collected from PINUM and Allied Hospital, Faisalabad. Whilethe samples of 100 individuals were served as a control. Levels of both enzymatic and nonenzymaticantioxidant such as CAT, GSH, SOD, GPx and GRx, vitamin A, C and E and levels ofMDA were determined spectrophotometrically. While the concentration of IL6, AOPPS, AGEs,TNF-α, MMP9 and Isoprostanes were measured by using commercially available Elisa kits.Results: This research work was conducted on a total of 100 control subjects and 270 leukemicpatients and the results were described on mean values. Many circulating biochemical stressmarkers, antioxidants and vitamins were investigated. All enzymatic and non-enzymaticantioxidants, vitamins were decreased in leukemic individuals while markers which showedhigh oxidative stress like MDA, IL6, AOPPS, TNF-α and MMP9 were elevated in leukemicpatients. Conclusion: It is concluded from this study that low levels of antioxidants and highlevels of oxidative stress depict the pathological state of leukemia and defected cell proliferationand growth. Continuous evaluation of antioxidant levels during leukemia can serve as a way ofbetter prognosis and treatment of leukemia.