title: Mitochondrial inhibition and oxidative stress: reciprocating players in neurodegeneration.
abstract: Although the etiology for many neurodegenerative diseases is unknown, the common findings of mitochondrial defects and oxidative damage posit these events as contributing factors. The temporal conundrum of whether mitochondrial defects lead to enhanced reactive oxygen species generation, or conversely, if oxidative stress is the underlying cause of the mitochondrial defects remains enigmatic. This review focuses on evidence to show that either event can lead to the evolution of the other with subsequent neuronal cell loss. Glutathione is a major antioxidant system used by cells and mitochondria for protection and is altered in a number of neurodegenerative and neuropathological conditions. This review also addresses the multiple roles for glutathione during mitochondrial inhibition or oxidative stress. Protein aggregation and inclusions are hallmarks of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent evidence that links protein aggregation to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction will also be examined. Lastly, current therapies that target mitochondrial dysfunction or oxidative stress are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. zeevalgd@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Zeevalk
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gluck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ehrhart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000473:pathology; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D005978:Glutathione