[Experimental and clinical aspects of oxidative stress and redox regulation]

Although excess amounts of oxidative stress damage proteins and nucleotides, small amounts of oxidative stress transduce intracellular signals for cellular activation, differentiation and proliferation. Reduction/oxidation(redox) regulation is defined as a biological response to maintain homeostasis against oxidative stress. Thioredoxin, a 12 kD small protein with a redox-active dithiol/disulfide in the conserved active site: -Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys-, is a key molecule for redox regulation as well as glutathione(GSH). Thioredoxin is induced by a variety of oxidative stresses and secreted from cells. Thioredoxin plays crucial roles as a redox-regulator of intracellular signal transduction and as a radical scavenger. Plasma levels of thioredoxin are good biomarkers for oxidative stress. Thioredoxin-transgenic mice are more resistant to cerebral infarction, infection or inflammation and survive longer than control mice. Administration of thioredoxin may have a good potential for anti-aging and anti-stress effects. Redox regulation mechanisms by thioredoxin and other thioredoxin family members will clarify the pathophysiology of oxidative stress-associated disorders.