Meriem Rabia Zahzeh, Bouchra Loukidi, Warda Meziane, Mustapha Haddouche, Naima Mesli, Zahia Zouaoui, Mourad Aribi

The effect of pesticides on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH), including its level and relationship with the T helper 1 (Th1)/Th2 ratio, in patients suffering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was investigated. One hundred newly diagnosed patients with aggressive NHL (53 men, 47 women) and 40 healthy age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched controls (23 men, 17 women), exposed or not to pesticides, were recruited for a cross-sectional study conducted at the Clinical Hematology Departments of Tlemcen and Sidi Bel-Abbès University Medical Centers in the northwest of Algeria. NADPH levels were significantly increased in patients compared with controls; and in exposed patients compared with those not exposed, and controls (one-way analysis of variance; P=0.000). Albumin, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase activity, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity levels were significantly decreased in patients compared with in the control group. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity levels were significantly decreased in exposed patients compared with in unexposed patients; however, malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased in exposed patients when compared with controls and unexposed patients. Protein carbonyl and xanthine oxidase levels were significantly increased in exposed patients compared with controls; meanwhile, there were no significant differences between the two patient groups or between unexposed patients and controls. The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly decreased in patients when compared with controls; the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly increased (for both comparisons, P<0.001). In addition, NADPH was strongly associated with NHL (Mantel-Haenszel common odds ratio estimate =5.55; 95% confidence interval, 2.22-13.88; P=0.000). Moreover, NADPH levels were significantly negatively related to the Th1/Th2 ratio, either in exposed patients or in unexposed patients (respectively, r=-0.498 [P=0.004] and r=-0.327 [P=0.006]). In conclusion, pesticide exposure was strongly associated with NADPH alteration in NHL. The relationship between NADPH and Th1/Th2 ratio should focus on new therapeutic strategies for the disease.