Erythrocyte antioxidant defenses as a potential biomarker of liver mitochondrial status in different oxidative conditions

The need for minimally invasive biomarkers to predict the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is a priority. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction contribute in this physiopathological process. The aim of this study was to analyze the potential role of erythrocytes as surrogate biomarkers of hepatic mitochondrial oxidative status in an animal model under different dietary oxidative conditions. Interestingly, we found that erythrocyte antioxidant status correlated with triglyceride content (p < 0.05–p < 0.001), thiobarbituric acid reactive species levels (p < 0.001) and with liver mitochondrial antioxidant levels (p < 0.001). These data suggest that erythrocyte antioxidant defenses could be used as sensitive and minimally invasive biomarkers of mitochondrial status in diverse oxidative conditions.