Oxidative stress in toxicology: established mammalian and emerging piscine model systems.

Interest in the toxicological aspects of oxidative stress has grown in recent years, and research has become increasingly focused on the mechanistic aspects of oxidative damage and cellular responses in biological systems. Toxic consequences of oxidative stress at the subcellular level include lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage to DNA and proteins. These effects are often used as end points in the study of oxidative stress. Typically, mammalian species have been used as models to study oxidative stress and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying cellular damage and response, largely because of the interest in human health issues surrounding oxidative stress. However, it is becoming apparent that oxidative stress also affects aquatic organisms exposed to environmental pollutants. Research in fish has demonstrated that mammalian and piscine systems exhibit similar toxicological and adaptive responses to oxidative stress. This suggests that piscine models, in addition to traditional mammalian models, may be useful for further understanding the mechanisms underlying the oxidative stress response.

Identification and quantification of regioisomeric cholesteryl linoleate hydroperoxides in oxidized human low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein.

Oxidation of human LDL is implicated as an initiator of atherosclerosis. Isolated low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL2) were exposed to aqueous radicals generated from the thermolabile azo compound 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride. The primary nonpolar lipid products formed from the autoxidation of LDL and HDL were the regioisomeric cholesteryl linoleate hydroperoxides. In LDL oxidations, 9- and 13-hydroperoxides with trans,cis conjugated diene were formed as the major oxidation products if endogenous alpha-tocopheral was present in the LDL. After extended oxidation of LDL, at the time when endogenous alpha-tocopherol was consumed, the two trans,cis conjugated diene hydroperoxides began to disappear and the 9- and 13-hydroperoxides with trans,trans conjugated diene appeared. At very long oxidation times, none of the primary products, the conjugated diene hydroperoxides, were present. In HDL2, which has only very low levels of antioxidants, both the 9- and 13-hydroperoxides with trans,cis conjugated diene and the 9- and 13-hydroperoxides with trans,trans conjugated diene were formed at early stages of oxidation. The corresponding alcohols were also formed in the HDL2 oxidations. A mechanistic hypothesis consistent with these observations is presented.