Methods for assessing lipid and lipoprotein oxidation

There is increasing evidence that oxidatively modified lipoproteins are important in atherogenesis, and that antioxidants may prevent atherosclerosis by inhibiting lipoprotein oxidation. However, appropriate methods for evaluating these events in vitro and especially in vivo are complex, and require an understanding of the intricacies of lipid and lipoprotein oxidation. Because lipoproteins are likely to be oxidized in the microenvironment of the artery wall, evaluation of this process in vivo can be particularly difficult.