Peroxiredoxin-thioredoxin redox system (Prx-Trx system)

The Peroxiredoxin-thioredoxin (Prx-Trx) redox system is a fundamental cellular antioxidant network essential for maintaining redox homeostasis and regulating various signaling pathways. It primarily comprises three key components: peroxiredoxins (Prx), thioredoxin (Trx), and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). In this catalytic cycle, peroxiredoxins reduce hydrogen peroxide and organic hydroperoxides, becoming oxidized in the process; they are subsequently regenerated by thioredoxin, which is then returned to its reduced state by thioredoxin reductase using NADPH as an electron donor (Lu & Holmgren, 2014). This system is frequently overexpressed in many types of cancer, where it helps tumor cells survive high levels of oxidative stress and contributes to chemoresistance (Zhang et al., 2017). Consequently, the Prx-Trx axis has become a prominent target for drug development, with inhibitors like auranofin and PX-12 designed to disrupt this protective mechanism and induce apoptosis in malignant cells. Beyond oncology, the system is implicated in inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases where oxidative damage is a primary driver of pathology (Hanschmann et al., 2013).

Other names

Thioredoxin systemPrx-Trx systemThioredoxin-peroxiredoxin systemTrx/TrxR/Prx system

Inhibition of Thioredoxin Reductase (TrxR) or Thioredoxin (Trx) to increase intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress and induction of apoptosis in target cells.