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As a prevalent cardiovascular disease, heart failure is one of the leading causes of morbidity and premature mortality. Therefore, there is a special interest in the study of efficient markers associated with risk and / or prediction of cardiovascular events. Multiple candidates are proposed, especially those involved in oxidative and inflammatory processes typical of cardiovascular disease, such as superoxide anion, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite. There is a lack of knowledge on the potential usefulness of these systems as biomarkers. This review aims to contribute to a better understanding of these systems, as well as an improved patient profile. Furthermore, a deep knowledge of these complex systems would also allow proposing new lines of research for the development of new therapeutic tools as a promising start for new approaches to this disease., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Peroxynitrite (ONOO-) is a reactive nitrogen specie produced by the reaction between nitric oxide (NO*) and superoxide anion (O2*-). NO* is produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and O2*- is formed by the addition of an electron to O2 in enzymatic as well as nonenzymatic way. NADPH oxidase and xanthine oxidase are some of the enzymes involved in O2*- formation. ONOO- is an oxidant specie which is able to modify a great number of biomolecules such as aminoacids, proteins, enzymes and cofactors. ONOO- is able to induce nitration leading to the formation of 3-nytrotyrosine. This change has been widely studied, and although it is not only produced by ONOO-, but also by other reactive nitrogen species, it has been accepted like footprint of ONOO-. The excessive production of reactive nitrogen species is known as nitrosative stress that is able to induce structural damage leading to the loss of cell function. Furthermore, synthetic metalloporphyrins that metabolize ONOO- in a specific way are being used to determine if ONOO- is involved in different diseases, such as Alzheimer, Huntington, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, colitis, cardiac and renal complications. Finally, these metalloporphyrins may be of potential therapeutic value in diseases related to ONOO- production.

Purpose: The retina is the neurosensorial tissue of the eye and is extremely rich in polyunsaturated lipid membranes. This feature makes it especially sensitive to oxygen and/or nitrogen activated species and lipid peroxidation. Several authors have postulated the importance of superoxide (O2-) and peroxynitrite production in the development of diabetic complications. In the present study, we have used two different antioxidants, ebselen and lutein, that present as a common feature their peroxynitrite scavenging capacity, to ameliorate the oxidative stress that exists in the retina in diabetic patients., Methods: Hyperglycemia was accomplished by the intraperitoneal injection of Alloxan in a mouse model of diabetic retinopathy. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) concentrations in eye homogenates (without the lens) were determined. We also recorded serial electroretinograms (ERG) and measured latency and implicit times., Results: The MDA concentration increased and the GSH concentration decreased in the eyes of the diabetic animals. Treatment with ebselen and lutein restored the MDA and GSH concentrations to control values. Latency and implicit times were not affected by the diabetes., Conclusion: New studies are required to better understand the protective mechanism of ebselen and lutein in this model of experimental diabetic retinopathy.