Reactive oxygen species and reactive electrophiles (ROS/RES)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive electrophiles (RES) are highly reactive chemical entities produced as byproducts of cellular metabolism or in response to environmental stressors [1, 13, 18]. ROS include free radicals like superoxide and non-radicals like hydrogen peroxide, while RES encompass various electron-deficient molecules such as reactive carbonyls [2, 13, 18]. While traditionally viewed solely as agents of oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids, they are now recognized as critical second messengers in redox signaling pathways that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and immune responses [1, 14, 16]. An imbalance between their production and the body's antioxidant defenses leads to oxidative and electrophilic stress, which is a hallmark of numerous pathologies, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease [3, 8, 16, 20]. Therapeutic strategies involve scavenging these species with antioxidants, inhibiting the enzymes responsible for their generation (e.g., NADPH oxidases), or activating endogenous cytoprotective pathways like the Nrf2-Keap1 system [9, 12, 16]. However, the clinical application of these therapies remains challenging due to the dual nature of these species in both health and disease [16, 19].

Other names

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)Reactive electrophilic species (RES)Reactive carbonyl species (RCS)OxidantsFree radicalsElectrophiles

Scavenging and neutralization of reactive species; inhibition of ROS-generating enzymes (e.g., NADPH oxidase, xanthine oxidase); activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 antioxidant response pathway; covalent neutralization of reactive electrophiles.