Jacobs, Paul JuanVos, SjoerdBishop, Chelsea E.Hart, Daniel WilliamBennett, Nigel CharlesWaterman, Jane M.2025-02-052025-02-052024-11Jacobs, P.J.; Vos, S.; Bishop, C.E.; Hart, D.W.; Bennett, N.C.; Waterman, J.M. Oxidative Stress in an African Ground Squirrel, a Case of Healthy Aging and Reproduction. Antioxidants 2024, 13, 1401. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13111401.2076-3921 (online)10.3390/antiox13111401http://hdl.handle.net/2263/100548This article forms part of a special Issue titled 'Oxidative Stress in Reproduction of Mammals'.DATA AVAILABITY STATEMENT: Data are contained within the article or Supplementary Materials.SUPPORTING INFORMATION: TABLE S1: The linear regression model used to generate the residuals that estimate body condition.Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in mediating life-history processes, where it can compromise survival and reproduction through harmful alterations to DNA, lipids, and proteins. In this study, we investigated oxidative stress in Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris), a longer-lived African ground squirrel species with a high reproductive skew and unique life history strategies. We measured oxidative stress as total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and an oxidative stress index (OSI) in blood plasma from individuals of approximately known ages. Our results reveal a distinct pattern of decreasing oxidative stress with age, consistent across both sexes. Females exhibited lower OSI and TOS levels than males. Males employing different life-history strategies, namely natal (staying at home), had significantly lower oxidative stress compared to the band (roaming male groups), likely due to variations in metabolic rate, activity, and feeding rates. However, both strategies exhibited reduced oxidative stress with age, though the underlying mechanisms require further investigation. We propose that selection pressures favoring survival contributed to the observed reduction in oxidative stress with age, potentially maximizing lifetime reproductive success in this species.en© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an Open Access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).Life-history strategiesXerus inaurisOxidative stressAgingReproductive healthSDG-03: Good health and well-beingSDG-15: Life on landCape ground squirrel (Xerus inauris)Oxidative stress index (OSI)Total oxidant status (TOS)Total antioxidant capacity (TAC)Article