title: The Architecture of Thiol Antioxidant Systems among Invertebrate Parasites.
abstract: The use of oxygen as the final electron acceptor in aerobic organisms results in an improvement in the energy metabolism. However, as a byproduct of the aerobic metabolism, reactive oxygen species are produced, leaving to the potential risk of an oxidative stress. To contend with such harmful compounds, living organisms have evolved antioxidant strategies. In this sense, the thiol-dependent antioxidant defense systems play a central role. In all cases, cysteine constitutes the major building block on which such systems are constructed, being present in redox substrates such as glutathione, thioredoxin, and trypanothione, as well as at the catalytic site of a variety of reductases and peroxidases. In some cases, the related selenocysteine was incorporated at selected proteins. In invertebrate parasites, antioxidant systems have evolved in a diversity of both substrates and enzymes, representing a potential area in the design of anti-parasite strategies. The present review focus on the organization of the thiol-based antioxidant systems in invertebrate parasites. Differences between these taxa and its final mammal host is stressed. An understanding of the antioxidant defense mechanisms in this kind of parasites, as well as their interactions with the specific host is crucial in the design of drugs targeting these organisms.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guevara-Flores
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: José de Jesús
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Martínez-González
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico. jrendon@bq.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rendón
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico. darenal@bq.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Irene Patricia
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Del Arenal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D004747:Entamoeba / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D013621:Taenia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds
keywords: antioxidant systems; disulfide reductase; parasites; redox mechanisms; redoxin; thiol; thiol-dependent peroxidase