An exogenous marker: a novel approach for the characterization of oxidative stress

Oxidative stress (OS) and its consequences which promote alterations in biomolecules, to tissue damage and to the development of pathological conditions, continue to attract many investigators. The identification of reliable biomarker is essential for the characterization of OS and possibly for early discovery of OS-associated diseases. The aim of the present study was to offer a new concept in the development of novel probes for OS, based on the design, synthesis, and utilization of exogenous markers, as alternative to the search for endogenous markers. This article describes: (a) the synthesis of such a marker, linoleoyl tyrosine 2-deoxyguanosyl ester (LTG), constructed from three endogenous subunits: linoleic acid, tyrosine, and 2'-deoxyguanosine, representing the three major groups from which the body is composed, unsaturated fatty acids (USFA), proteins, and DNA, respectively, all bound covalently and (b) the development of analytical tools (LC/MS/MS) to enable the identification of the different LTG oxidized products formed under OS by exposure of LTG to different reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as, copper ions and hypochlorous acid.