Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2 (NOX2) (NOX2)

The immune cell oxidative burst, also known as the respiratory burst, is a rapid physiological process characterized by the sudden increase in oxygen consumption and the subsequent release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by phagocytes, such as neutrophils and macrophages (StatPearls, 2023). This process is primarily mediated by the Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH oxidase) enzyme complex, specifically the NOX2 isoform, which transfers electrons from NADPH to molecular oxygen to generate superoxide anions (UniProt, P04839). While essential for the destruction of invading pathogens within the phagosome, excessive or inappropriate activation of the oxidative burst is a major driver of tissue injury in chronic inflammatory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegeneration (PubMed, PMC2724613). Pharmacological inhibitors of the NADPH oxidase complex are being investigated to reduce oxidative damage in these contexts. However, because this process is vital for host defense, its inhibition carries a significant risk of immunosuppression, mimicking the clinical presentation of Chronic Granulomatous Disease, where patients suffer from life-threatening recurrent infections (NIH, GeneReviews).

Other names

Immune cell oxidative burstRespiratory burstOxidative burstCytochrome b-245 heavy chaingp91phoxCYBB

Inhibition of the NADPH oxidase enzyme complex to prevent the production of superoxide anions and other reactive oxygen species.