Stress, superoxide, and signal transduction

A variety of stressful events can trigger the production of free radicals by exposed cells. For years, the effect of such highly reactive radicals was expected to be damaging to cells, altering their biology irreversibly. However, many recent reports have shown that reactive oxygen species can have additional functions, and contribute to important signaling pathways to regulate key biological responses, including cell migration, mitosis, and apoptosis. With this review, we address the role of the small GTP binding protein, Rac, as a regulatory protein that controls superoxide production, and the effect of superoxide and derived oxidants in cell signaling.