Reactive oxygen species and reactive electrophilic metabolites (ROS/REM)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive electrophilic metabolites (REMs) are highly reactive chemical entities produced during normal cellular metabolism or through the biotransformation of xenobiotics (PMID: 28249116). ROS, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, play dual roles as essential signaling molecules at low concentrations and as mediators of oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids at high concentrations (PMID: 30391564). REMs are often generated by Phase I metabolism (e.g., Cytochrome P450 activity) and can form harmful covalent adducts with cellular nucleophiles, leading to toxicity or neoantigen formation (PMID: 25809611). In various diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration, an imbalance between the production of these species and the body's antioxidant defenses leads to chronic oxidative and electrophilic stress (PMID: 23626520). Therapeutic strategies involve the use of scavengers like N-acetylcysteine or Mesna to neutralize these species directly, thereby preventing tissue damage and drug-induced toxicities (PMID: 18990308).

Other names

ROSReactive electrophilic speciesRESFree radicalsOxidative stress mediatorsElectrophilic metabolites

Direct chemical neutralization, scavenging of free radicals, and nucleophilic conjugation with electrophilic metabolites to prevent covalent binding to cellular macromolecules (PMID: 18990308).