Measurement of isoprostanes as markers of oxidative stress in neuronal tissue.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of human diseases, including neurodegenerative disease, atherosclerosis and cancer, as well as progressive and even normal aging processes. Increased generation of free radicals derived primarily from molecular oxygen has also been associated with neuronal damage induced by a variety of environmental agents. However, measuring oxidative stress in biological systems is complex and requires accurate quantification of either free radicals or damaged biomolecules. One method to quantify oxidative injury is to measure lipid peroxidation. Lipids are readily attacked by free radicals, resulting in the formation of a number of peroxidation products. F₂-isoprostanes (F₂-IsoPs) are one group of these compounds, which are derived by the free radical peroxidation of arachidonic acid (AA). The F₂-IsoPs, prostaglandine F₂-like compounds, have been shown as the most accurate measure of oxidative damage in vivo. This review summarizes current methodology used to quantify F₂-IsoPs and discusses the utility of these and other prostaglandine (PG)-like compounds as in vivo biomarkers of oxidative stress in neuronal tissues.