The present application describes methods and systems for measuring and controlling oxidative stress in animals and humans. The degree of oxidative stress can be measured directly by inducing all of the blood cells to produce excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) by exposure to an elevated concentration sulfide or other ROS inducing chemical and measuring the fluorescence intensity of a fluorescent dye or color intensity of dye that reacts with ROS. Oxidative stress can be reduced by reducing dietary sulfur, consumption of a methanogenic probiotic, or apheresis methods to replace ROS-positive blood cells with normal blood cells. Plasma oxidative stress can be compared in venous and arterial blood samples to evaluate small vessel disease. Oxidative stress can be increased by increasing dietary sulfur or the use of an intravenous method that exposes blood cells to an elevated blood concentration of sulfide or other ROS inducing chemical.

Primary skin fibroblasts obtained from individuals diagnosed with late-onset sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD), were compared to healthy age-matched controls. Fibroblasts from PD subjects had higher growth rates, and appeared distinctly different in terms of morphology and spatial organization in culture, compared to control cells. The PD fibroblasts also exhibited significantly compromised mitochondrial structure and function when assessed via morphological and oxidative phosphorylation assays. Additionally, an increase in baseline macroautophagy levels was seen in cells from PD subjects. Exposure of the skin fibroblasts to physiologically relevant stress, specifically ultraviolet irradiation (UVA), further exaggerated the autophagic dysfunction in the PD cells. Moreover, the PD fibroblasts accumulated higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) coupled with lower cell viability upon UVA treatment. These results highlight primary skin fibroblasts as a patient-relevant model that captures fundamental PD molecular mechanisms, and enable their utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PD.

Diagnosing an oxidative stress (OS) in companion animals comprises screening a bodily fluid sample to detect the presence of an OS biomarker, selectively isoprostane and antioxidants, HODE, microRNAs, TAC, GSH, MDA, and TNF-alpha. The sample can be saliva.

Provided herein are methods of detecting or determining aging and/or oxidative damage in tissue, including placental tissue, skin, kidney and brain tissue. One embodiment provides a method for detecting or determining aging in body tissue, comprising measuring one or more markers of aldehyde oxidase 1 (AOX1) expression or activity in a biological sample, wherein the level of AOX1 expression or activity, or of the one or more markers, is indicative of aging in the tissue. Also provided herein are methods of treating a disease or condition associated with ageing or oxidative damage in one or more cells or tissues, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an inhibitor of AOX1.

The invention relates to diagnostic methods for assessing the need of a subject for treatment with an anti-oxidant, or alternatively, for determining the utilization efficiency and ultimate effectiveness of anti-oxidant therapy in subjects having been treated with antioxidants. More specifically, the methods of the present invention are particularly useful in prophylactic assessment of individuals at risk for developing diseases or conditions in which oxidative stress plays a role, such that an appropriate therapeutic regimen can be prescribed for that individual, thus leading to alternative therapies and/or life style changes. The invention further relates to methods for assessing the need for, the utilization efficiency and the effectiveness of therapy in subjects having received therapy with specific antioxidant and immune enhancing formulations. Kits are also provided for measuring the levels of markers of oxidative stress and immune cell numbers.

Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for selectively activating chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), protecting cells from oxidative stress, proteotoxicity and lipotoxicity, and/or antagonizing activity of retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR) in subjects in need thereof.

A method for assessing the oxidation states of a protein in a sample, the method comprising the steps of contacting the sample with a first label adapted to selectively bind to at least one reduced cysteine group of the protein therein to form a first labelled sample; forming a sub-sample of the first labelled sample; treating the sub-sample to selectively reduce at least one reversibly oxidised cysteine group of the protein therein to form a treated sub-sample; contacting the treated sub-sample with a second label adapted to selectively bind to a reduced cysteine group of the protein to form a second labelled sample; and assessing the first and second labelled samples for a plurality of oxidation states of the protein.

Managing and treating elevated OS biomarkers in mammals such as companion animals with at least one of the supplements alpha-lipoic acid, carnitine, co-enzyme Q-10, ginger, green tea, licorice, milk thistle, garlic, honey. resveratrol, soybeans, tomatoes, turmeric, vitamin D, vitamin E, or selenium. Other compounds are Zinc, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Quercetin, L-glutamine and Robuvit. Diagnosing an oxidative stress (OS) in a mammal detects an OS biomarker, selectively isoprostane and other antioxidant biomarkers such as HODE, microRNAs, TAC, GSH, MDA, and TNF-alpha. The sample can be saliva.

A method is provided for determining antioxidant power of a sample of a biological fluid or a food. The method essentially consists in contacting the sample to be tested with an aqueous solution of platinum nanoparticles, an oxidizing agent, and a chromogenic peroxidase substrate, and detecting color of the final solution thus obtained. Color intensity of the solution is proportional to the antioxidant power of the sample. A kit suitable for carrying out the method is also provided.

The present invention relates to a method of improving the quality of therapeutic cells by real-time glutathione monitoring.