Measurement of oxygen radicals and lipid peroxidation in neural tissues

One of the most completely validated processes involved in secondary tissue damage following acute brain or spinal cord injury and in many chronic neurodegenerative diseases has to do with the pathological formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). These are generated by multiple mechanisms and give rise to highly reactive oxygen radicals that can damage neuronal, glial, and microvascular elements. Particular interest has centered upon oxygen radical-induced, iron-catalyzed lipid peroxidation (LP) as the principal mechanism of neuronal injury associated with oxygen radicals. Thus, there has been a growing interest in monitoring increased oxygen radical levels as an index of oxidative stress, as well as measuring markers of LP-associated oxidative injury in in vitro and in vivo model systems and neurological patient samples. Accordingly, the purpose of this unit is to provide a variety of methods for the measurement of hydroxyl radical formation and/or LP in nervous tissue or biofluids.