Ace Therapeutics has an advanced technology platform for antipsychotic drug development, and we are committed to providing oxidative stress testing services for psychiatric research to help researchers successfully achieve their research goals.

Introduction of Protein Oxidation or Nitration Assays in Psychiatry

Oxidative stress is associated with several psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder (BD). When the pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance is disturbed, oxidative and nitrosative stress begins due to excessive production of ROS and/or inadequate antioxidant defense mechanisms. High levels of dopamine (DA) in bipolar disorder produce reactive oxygen species and electron-deficient quinones, which oxidize proteins when metabolized. In addition, postmortem oxidative and nitrosative damage in dopamine-rich regions of the prefrontal cortex in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Thus, more attention and effort are needed to advance our understanding of the association between cellular oxidative stress and emotional stress.

Fig. 1 Oxidative stress has been shown to be higher in the brain of patients with BD. (Andreazza AC, et al., 2013)

Protein Oxidation or Nitration Assay Services

Ace Therapeutics offers eight general assays to detect protein oxidation/nitration: advanced glycosylation end-product assay, advanced oxidized protein product (AOPP) assay, oxidized/modified human lipoprotein assay, protein carbamylation assay, protein carbonyl assay, protein nitration assay, nitrotyrosine assay, and S-glutathione protein adduct assay.

Among others, our protein carbonyl assay and protein nitration assay can be used to rapidly detect carbonyl residues and 3-nitrotyrosine residues, both of which are stable markers of oxidative stress. Advanced glycosylation end-product assays can be used to measure total AGE or specific AGE species as protein adducts. Protein-free radical assays can be used to measure protein free radicals due to the presence of ROS and RNS. Other protein damage marker assays can be used to quickly and reliably detect BPDE-protein adducts or to measure s-glutathionylation of proteins formed in the presence of ROS.

Sample Request

• AOPP assay: cell lysate, tissue homogenate or plasma
• Oxidized/modified human lipoprotein assay: plasma (preferred) or serum (acceptable)
• Advanced glycosylation end product assay, protein carbonyl assay, protein nitration assay, nitrotyrosine assay, S-glutathione protein adduct assay: plasma, serum, cell lysate or purified protein

What Can We Help You Achieve in Psychiatry?

• Antioxidant therapy development for schizophrenia
• Study of the immune system and the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders
• Study the role of protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and DNA oxidative damage in psychiatric disorders
• Study of antioxidant mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs

Advantages of Our Services

• High accuracy, sensitivity and repeatability
• Flexible and scalable testing
• Customizable analytical methods and tests
• Continuous improvement in practice

At Ace Therapeutics, we believe in the power of expertise. Based on skilled experts and state-of-the-art analytical technologies, we can help our global clients confidently accelerate their anti-psychotic drug development process. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to make an inquiry and we look forward to serving you.

Reference

1. Andreazza AC, et al. Specific subcellular changes in oxidative stress in prefrontal cortex from patients with bipolar disorder. J Neurochem. 2013, 127(4):552-561.