Main description:

Oxidants, like other aspects of life, involves tradeoffs. Oxidants, whether intentionally produced or by-products of normal metabolism can either mediate a variety of critical biological processes but when present inappropriately cause extensive damage to biological molecules (DNA, proteins, and lipids). These effects can lead to either damage that is a major contributor to aging and degenerative diseases (or to other diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, immune-system decline, brain dysfunction, and cataracts) or normal physiological function- tissue repair, defense against pathogens and cellular proliferation. On the other hand the body is equipped with a complex antioxidant/oxidant handling system which includes both enzymatic and nonenzymatic (i.e. small molecules such as flavonoids, ascorbate, tocopherol, and carotenoids) produced endogenously or derived from the diet. This book focuses on how the same molecules can have favorable or noxious effects depending on location, level and timing.

Each chapter focuses on one particular molecule or oxidant/antioxidant system and provides a state of the art review of the current understanding regarding both positive and negative actions of the system under review.

Feature:

Uniquely focuses its attention on how the same molecules can have favorable or noxious effects depending on location, level and timing

Each chapter focuses is devoted to one particular molecule or oxidant/antioxidant system

Each chapter provides a state of the art review of the current understanding regarding both positive and negative actions of the system under review

Contents:

Preface by Valacchi G and Davis PA; OLD PLAYERS: 1. Hydrogen Peroxide, the good, the bad and the ugly, Henry Forman; 2. Peroxynitrite, a Key Molecule in Skin Tissue Response to Different Types of Stress, Meital Portugal and Ron Kohen; 3. Cellular and Environmental Electrophiles: Balancing Redox Signaling, Inflammation, and Cell Death Pathways, Albert van der Vliet*, Milena Hristova, Sean McCarthy and David Kasahara; 4. The role of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) and its implications for biological systems-the question of balance, Predrag Ljubuncic, Marina Bar-Shai and Abraham Z. Reznick; 5. Neutrophil-derived oxidants as modulators of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism, Lukas Kubala and Antonin Lojek; 6. Fatty acids in modulation of reactive oxygen species balance in cancer, Jirina Hofmanová, Karel Soucek, Alena Vaculova and Alois Kozubík; 7. The question of balance: the interaction between blood and ozone, Velio Bocci; 8. Iron and erythrocytes: physiological and pathophysiological aspects, Lucia Ciccoli, Silvia Leoncini, Cinzia Signorini and Mario Comporti; 9. The adventures of superoxide dismutase in health and disease: Superoxide in the balance, Kristy M. Powers, Larry W. Oberley and Frederick E. Domann; 10. Glutathione metabolism: favorable vs unfavorable effects, Cimino Francesco and Saija Antonina; 11. Dual role of oxidative stress in the lungs, Tzipora Goldkorn and Elaine Khan; 12. Antioxidants: how they work, Elisabetta Damiani, Paola Astolfi, Patricia Carloni, Pierluigi Stipa and Lucedio Greci; NEW PLAYERS: 13. The role of DUOX isozymes in the respiratory tract epithelium, Richard Harper; 14. Hypertension, diabetes, oxidative stress and cardiovascular remodeling: making the connection with p66shc, Elisa Pagnin, Angelo Avogaro and Lorenzo A Calò; 15. A role of BRCA1-associated protein BARD1 in oxidative stress response and signaling and proliferation control,Irmgard Irminger-Finger and Shazib Pervais; 16. Postprandial events as a trigger for redox unbalance: role of dietary lipid hydroperoxides and antioxidants, Fausta Natella, Arianna Ramberti and Cristina Scaccini; 17. F2-Isoprostanes: markers and mediators of an imbalanced redox status in the liver, Concetta Gardi, Beatrice Arezzini, Cinzia Signorini, Daniela Vecchio, Barbara Monaco and Mario Comporti; Index