Detection and Measurement of Cellular and Tissue Antioxidants

Abstract

The detrimental effects of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) in mammalian systems are determined not only by the amounts and reactivity of the ROS/RNS formed, but also by the status of cellular and tissue antioxidant defenses. Thus, detection and measurement of endogenous antioxidants are an important part of investigation into the mechanism of oxidative stress in human disease development. This chapter provides an overview of the general experimental approaches to assessing antioxidant defenses and describes the basic methodologies for measuring the activities and levels of the major cellular and tissue antioxidants.

Keywords: Antioxidants, Catalase, Glutaredoxin, Glutathione system, Heme oxygenase, Methionine sulfoxide reductase, Methodologies, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, Paraoxonase, Superoxide dismutase, Thioredoxin system, Total antioxidant capacity.