Cellular antioxidant defense

Cellular antioxidant defense refers to the collective network of enzymatic and nonenzymatic systems within cells that protect against damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other free radicals. This is not a single molecular entity but rather an integrated set of pathways involving multiple proteins, small molecules, and regulatory factors. Key enzymatic antioxidants include superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalases (CAT), glutathione peroxidases (GPX), peroxiredoxins, thioredoxin systems, among others. Nonenzymatic antioxidants include glutathione, vitamins C and E, flavonoids, polyphenols, etc. These systems work together by scavenging ROS directly or converting them into less harmful substances. The proper functioning of cellular antioxidant defenses is essential for maintaining redox balance in cells; dysregulation can contribute to diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disorders, metabolic syndromes like diabetes mellitus, inflammation, aging-related pathologies, among others. Because "cellular antioxidant defense" describes a broad physiological process rather than a discrete druggable target or molecular entity such as an enzyme or receptor subunit, it should not be considered a canonical therapeutic target in the same sense as individual proteins like "superoxide dismutase" or "glutathione peroxidase." For structured data purposes requiring specificity at the level of gene/protein/druggable target classification—such as databases for drug discovery—the term is too general.

Other names

Antioxidant defense systemCellular antioxidant systemAntioxidant mechanismsRedox defense system

Not applicable to the overall system; individual components have distinct mechanisms.