Oxysterols formation as a reflection of biochemical pathways: summary of in vitro and in vivo studies.

Oxysterols are cholesterol (CH)-oxidized products generated in organs via either enzymatic or non-enzymatic pathways. Their presence or absence in cells, tissues and organs may provide information related to, for example, CH level and environmental status, inflammatory conditions near the CH molecules, activity of specific enzymes at and around the CH site, types and concentrations of biochemicals interacting with the CH, and the existence of specific signals. Here we present a mini-review of our lab findings on oxysterols formation in vitro and in vivo, including: the effects of different reactive species and availability of endogenous compounds on the type of oxysterol generated, the effects of enhanced activity of paraoxonase 1 or hemeoxygenase on oxysterol level, the correlation between human diseases such as diabetes and oxysterol accumulation, and the correlation between oxidative stress in neurons pre-Parkinsonian conditions in an animal model and intracellular oxidative stress.

Characterization of oxidative stress in blood from diabetic vs. hypercholesterolaemic patients, using a novel synthesized marker.

In the present study, we extend our novel concept of designing and using exogenous markers for the characterization of oxidative stress (OS) and OS-associated diseases. The aim was to use such a synthetic compound as a tool for studying OS in blood from diabetic and hypercholesterolaemic (Hc) patients. The marker used N-linoleoyl tyrosine (LT) was constructed from tyrosine and linoleic acid (LA); both components are known to be easily oxidized upon exposure to different types of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), and to generate specific oxidized products, depending on the type of oxidants present in vivo.

Exogenous N-linoleoyl tyrosine marker as a tool for the characterization of cellular oxidative stress in macrophages.

Oxidative stress and its resultant products continue to attract investigators. Numerous endogenous substances have been suggested as potential markers for the identification of oxidative stress in tissues and organisms. In this study, we present a novel concept whereby an exogenous marker is designed and synthesized for the characterization of oxidative stress.

Cholesterol, linoleic acid or/and tyrosine yield different spectra of products when oxidized alone or in a mixture: studies in various oxidative systems.

Identification of reliable biomarkers for oxidative stress for the prediction of the early development of pathological conditions is essential. The detection of biomarkers for oxidative stress such as degradation products of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), oxysterols, and oxidized proteins, as indicators of oxidative stress are in use, but suffers from insufficient specificity, accuracy and reliability. The overall aim of the present study was to develop new markers which will not only provide information about the presence and level of oxidative stress in biological systems but also on the type of reactive oxygen species (ROS) involved and their metabolic consequences.