Quantification and Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress in Chronic Disease

Abstract

There is now strong evidence that the redox environment inside cells is very different to that outside the cell, and that many extracellular environments are both more oxidizing and also subject to extensive oxidation. This difference in redox environments results in significant changes in oxidation chemistry and biology, altered redox equilibria, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. It is also increasingly apparent that oxidation events both inside and outside cells (extracellular oxidation) play a critical role in driving many diseases. Many extracellular proteins are highly abundant, long-lived and relatively poorly protected against damage. They can therefore accumulate high levels of modification during ageing and chronic disease, resulting in their use as biomarkers of long-term oxidative stress. Furthermore, increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that oxidized extracellular matrix materials play a key role in determining cell function and fate.