Cordero MD, Moreno-Fernandez AM, Demiguel M, Bonal P, Campa F, Jimenez-Jimenez LM, Ruiz-Losada A, Sanchez-Dominguez B, Sanchez Alcazar JA, Salviati L, Navas P.

 Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo(CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain; Centro deInvestigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), ISCIII, Spain;Dpto. Citología e Histología Normal y Patológica, Facultad de Medicina.Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.

OBJECTIVE:Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ(10)) is an essential electron carrier in the mitochondrialrespiratory chain and a strong antioxidant. Signs and symptoms associated withmuscular alteration and mitochondrial dysfunction, including oxidative stress,have been observed in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). The aim was to studyCoQ(10) levels in plasma and mononuclear cells, and oxidative stress in FMpatients. 

METHODS: We studied CoQ(10) level by HPLC in plasma and peripheralmononuclear cells obtained from patients with FM and healthy control subjects.Oxidative stress markers were analyzed in both plasma and mononuclear cellsfrom FM patients. 

RESULTS: Higher level of oxidative stress markers in plasmawas observed respect to control subjects. CoQ(10) level in plasma samples fromFM patients was doubled compared to healthy controls and in blood mononuclearcells isolated from 37 FM patients was found to be about 40% lower. Higherlevels of ROS production was observed in mononuclear cells from FM patientscompared to control, and a significant decrease was induced by the presence ofCoQ(10). 

CONCLUSION: The distribution of CoQ(10) in blood components wasaltered in FM patients. Also, our results confirm the oxidative stressbackground of this disease probably due to a defect on the distribution andmetabolism of CoQ(10) in cells and tissues. The protection caused inmononuclear cells by CoQ(10) would indicate the benefit of its supplementationin FM patients.