Free radical generating enzymes

Free radical generating enzymes are a broad functional class of enzymes, including NADPH oxidases (NOX), xanthine oxidase (XO), and myeloperoxidase (MPO), that facilitate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) (Sies & Jones, 2020). These enzymes play vital roles in physiological processes such as the "respiratory burst" in phagocytes for pathogen destruction and the regulation of vascular tone and cellular signaling (Lambeth, 2004). However, their chronic overactivation leads to oxidative stress, which contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration, and chronic inflammatory conditions (Forrester et al., 2018). Therapeutic strategies involve using specific inhibitors like allopurinol for XO in the treatment of gout or investigating NOX inhibitors like setanaxib for fibrotic and metabolic diseases (Kallenberg et al., 2022). A major challenge in targeting these enzymes is achieving sufficient selectivity to prevent the suppression of beneficial ROS-dependent immune responses and essential homeostatic signaling pathways (Meijles & Pagano, 2019).

Other names

Pro-oxidant enzymesROS-generating enzymesReactive oxygen species-producing enzymesOxidoreductases

Inhibition of specific enzymatic pathways (e.g., molybdenum-containing hydroxylases or heme-dependent peroxidases) to decrease the catalytic production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS), thereby mitigating oxidative stress-mediated tissue damage (PubMed: 29053303).