L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate influence on age- and heat exposure-dependent redox changes in rat's blood plasma.

In the present study, we investigated both the age- and heat exposure-related redox changes of blood plasma by analyzing GSH, thiol status and carbonyl groups. Our results clearly indicated that the plasma redox balance shifted toward oxidation during both aging and acute heat exposure. To further confirm this age- and heat exposure-related redox shift, we quantified the changes in thiol content. The total thiol level was found to be significantly decreased in the aged group. A similar pattern can be explained by low levels of serum GSH in old rats compared to young rats. The significance of the present study are the data showing increased oxidative stress in plasma during aging, attributed to a decrease in major antioxidant components in serum. OTC treatment, in relation to C=O regarded as a marker of oxidative damage was probably much more effective in increasing of GSH synthesis than in prevention of protein oxidation.