Oxidative stress in neurodegeneration and available means of protection.
Substantial pieces of direct and indirect evidence have mounted over the years linking the induction of oxidative stress to a plethora of disease conditions, not least those associated with the death of neurons. The causal relationship between oxidative damage and neurodegeneration is, however, not yet clear and still a subject of intense investigation. Nevertheless, the phenomenon of oxidative neuronal death has received considerable attention in a frantic search for efficacious therapies for the management of neurological and neurodegenerative conditions. The redox-active nature of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which in their excessive levels induce oxidative stress, the prevalence of ROS production in biological systems, the complexity of interrelationships among these species, and the context-dependent adequacy and resilience of the antioxidant defense systems are some of the challenges that basic research has to grapple with to advance successfully to the translational stage. Much still has to be understood for research efforts in this field to yield enduring therapies. In this review, we examine the nature (chemistry) of ROS, the relationships between them, their physiological functions, the roles of oxidative stress in neurodegeneration, the mechanisms of cell death induced by oxidant species, and the available means of protecting neurons against oxidative damage.
Division of Neuroscience and Biomedical Systems, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK. amosfatokun@yahoo.com
Amos Akintayo
AA
Fatokun
Trevor William
TW
Stone
Robert Anthony
RA
Smith
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D016923:Cell Death; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010100:Oxygen / Q000633:toxicity; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D010100:Oxygen