Rodrigues, CarinaRocha, SusanaNascimento, HenriqueVieira, EmíliaSantos, RosárioSantos-Silva, AliceCosta, ElísioBronze-da-Rocha, Elsa2014-10-202014-10-202013Rodrigues, Carina; Rocha, Susana; Nascimento, Henrique; Vieira, Emília; Santos, Rosário; Santos-Silva, Alice; Costa, Elísio; Bronze-da-Rocha, Elsa (2013). Bilirubin levels and redox status in a young healthy population. Acta Haematologica. ISSN 0001-5792. 130:1, p. 57-600001-5792http://hdl.handle.net/10198/10912The additional TA repeat (c.-41_ -40dupTA) in the promoter of the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UGT1A1) gene is associated with a decrease in gene transcription, a decline in bilirubin conjugation and, therefore, with an increase in circulating unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) [1] . The TA repeat polymorphism is remarkably prevalent in the Caucasian white population and is the main cause of Gilbert’s syndrome [1] . Bilirubin, the key metabolic product of hemoglobin (Hb) catabolism, has antioxidant properties that seem to have a protective effect in oxidative stress conditions, such as in atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, inflammation, and cancer [2] . Some studies showed that high levels of bilirubin can be toxic to neurons in newborn infants.engBilirubinRedox statusjournal article10.1159/000346429