Oxidative stress and muscle homeostasis.
OBJECTIVE
The term oxidative stress is often used to indicate a condition in which the accumulation of reactive oxygen species is considered just damaging. We will discuss both the physiological and pathological role of oxidative stress on skeletal muscle homeostasis and function, and how oxidative stress can activates opposite signaling molecule to regulate gene and protein expression to guarantee muscle adaptation and to trigger a pathological condition.


RESULTS
Emerging evidences have assigned a critical role to oxidative stress in muscle homeostasis and in the physiopathology of skeletal muscle, suggesting that reactive oxygen species are not merely damaging agent inflicting random destruction to the cell structure and function, but useful signaling molecules to regulate growth, proliferation, differentiation, and adaptation, at least within physiological concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
The role of oxidative stress on muscle homeostasis is quite complex. It is clear that transiently increased levels of oxidative stress might reflect a potentially health promoting process, whereas an uncontrolled accumulation of oxidative stress might have pathological implication. Additional work is, therefore, necessary to understand and define precisely whether the manipulation of the redox balance represents a useful approach in the design of therapeutic strategies for muscle diseases.
Musarò
Antonio
A
Department of Histology and Medical Embryology, Institute Pasteur Cenci-Bolognetti, IIM, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. antonio.musaro@uniroma1.it
Fulle
Stefania
S
Fanò
Giorgio
G
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006706:Homeostasis; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species