Reactive oxygen species and electrophilic carbonyls (ROS/RCS)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electrophilic carbonyls (ECs) are highly reactive chemical entities produced during normal cellular metabolism or under conditions of oxidative and carbonyl stress [1]. ROS include oxygen-derived free radicals and non-radicals like hydrogen peroxide, while ECs, often termed reactive carbonyl species (RCS), include alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes like 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and dicarbonyls like methylglyoxal [2]. While they serve as important signaling molecules at physiological levels, their accumulation leads to irreversible damage to proteins, lipids, and DNA, contributing to the pathogenesis of various chronic conditions including neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes [3]. Therapeutic strategies targeting these species involve direct scavenging by antioxidants or the use of "carbonyl trappers" like hydralazine and carnosine to prevent the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and advanced lipoxidation end-products (ALEs) [4]. Additionally, drugs may target the enzymatic sources of these species, such as NADPH oxidases, or upregulate endogenous defense mechanisms via the Nrf2 pathway [5]. [1] Sies, H., & Jones, D. P. (2020). Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. [2] Schaur, R. J., et al. (2015). Biomolecules. [3] Pizzino, G., et al. (2017). Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. [4] Negre-Salvayre, A., et al. (2008). Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. [5] Forman, H. J., & Zhang, H. (2021). Nature Reviews Drug Discovery.

Other names

Reactive oxygen speciesElectrophilic carbonylsReactive carbonyl speciesROSRCSOxidantsCarbonyl stressPro-oxidants

Direct chemical neutralization (scavenging) of reactive oxygen and carbonyl species, inhibition of oxidative enzymes, and activation of endogenous antioxidant pathways.