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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Imaging Approaches to Assessments of Toxicological Oxidative Stress Using Genetically-encoded Fluorogenic Sensors
Published on: February 7, 2018
Clinical risk factors demonstrate an age-dependent relationship with oxidative stress biomarkers in African Americans
Kathleen M Sturgeon1, Deborah L Feairheller, Keith M Diaz
1Hypertension, Molecular and Applied Physiology Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, School of Medicine, Temple University, 1800 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. katie.sturgeon@temple.edu
Objective:
To examine the interaction of oxidative stress biomarkers with age, and also factors that influence oxidative stress such as body mass index (BMI) and fitness in a population of individuals with established higher risk of cardiovascular disease, African Americans.
Methods:
Blood samples were obtained from healthy college-age and middle-age to older African Americans. Participants underwent a graded exercise test. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, total antioxidant capacity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were measured.
Results:
TBARS levels were significantly (P = .001) lower in young participants relative to middle-age to older participants. SOD activity was significantly (P = .001) lower in middle-age to older participants with low fitness relative to participants with normal fitness, and lower (P = .04) in middle-age to older participants that were overweight relative to normal weight participants.
Discussion:
In a healthy middle-age to older population of African Americans, BMI and fitness are crucial for maintaining a healthy endothelium.
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