Detection of Urinary Biomarkers for Assessment of Oxidative Status

Reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS) produced in the muscle by strenuous physical exertion has been correlated with degradation of muscle force output, fatigue, and muscle soreness. When the production of RONS in the body exceeds the bodys innate ability to neutralize them, oxidative stress occurs, compromising physiological function due to cellular damage. Low-level RONS production that occurs during exercise contribute to beneficial muscle adaptations by inducing up-regulation of antioxidant enzymes. Excessive consumption of dietary/supplemental antioxidants has been shown in animal and human models to negatively impact muscle adaptation to exercise and aerobic performance. Hence, it is important to maintain beneficial levels of RONS, so as not to compromise war-fighter adaptation to initial military training, and reduce combat effectiveness. A non-invasive detection system is required to assess/discern the changes of oxidative status before and after dietary intervention and physical performance in healthy and recovering war-fighters. Lynntech proposes to develop a non-invasive, portable, robust detection system for assessment of oxidative stress using innovative immunoassay platform technology. During the Phase I project Lynntech will establish the feasibility of the detection system for the identification and quantification of oxidative stress biomarkers present in urine samples.