Application in Oxidative Stress and Glutathione Metabolism in Preterm Infants

Oxidative stress is the result of an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are oxidants produced during normal oxygen metabolism and are highly reactive molecules that can cause oxidative damage to proteins, lipids, and DNA. This alters enzyme activities, damages cellular and mitochondrial membranes, and alters signal transduction and even apoptosis. To counteract the detrimental actions of ROS, the body has numerous antioxidant defense mechanisms (antioxidants) including enzymes, vitamins, and other agents. Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide that is the most important intracellular antioxidant. In this chapter, we discuss the use of mass spectrometry and stable isotopes to study glutathione metabolism in the field of neonatology.