Mena Salvador, Ortega Angel, Estrela José M
Department of Physiology, University of Valencia, 17 Av. Blasco Ibañez, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
Mutat Res. 2009 Mar 31;674(1-2):36-44. doi: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2008.09.017. Epub 2008 Oct 11.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the more abundant free radicals in nature and have been related with a number of tissue/organ injuries induced by xenobiotics, ischemia, activation of leucocytes, UV exposition, etc. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between ROS production and a biological system's ability to readily detoxify these reactive intermediates or easily repair the resulting damage. Thus, oxidative stress is accepted as a critical pathophysiological mechanism in different frequent human pathologies, including cancer. In fact ROS can cause protein, lipid, and DNA damage, and malignant tumors often show increased levels of DNA base oxidation and mutations. Different lifestyle- and environmental-related factors (including, e.g., tobacco smoking, diet, alcohol, ionizing radiations, biocides, pesticides, viral infections) and other health-related factors (e.g. obesity or the aging process) may be procarcinogenic. In all these cases oxidative stress acts as a critical pathophysiological mechanism. Nevertheless it is important to remark that, in agreement with present knowledge, oxidative/nitrosative/metabolic stress, inflammation, senescence, and cancer are linked concepts that must be discussed in a coordinated manner.
活性氧（ROS）是自然界中较为丰富的自由基，与多种由异生物素、缺血、白细胞激活、紫外线照射等引起的组织/器官损伤有关。氧化应激是由ROS产生与生物系统快速解毒这些反应性中间体或轻松修复所产生损伤的能力之间的失衡所导致的。因此，氧化应激被认为是包括癌症在内的不同常见人类疾病中的关键病理生理机制。事实上，ROS可导致蛋白质、脂质和DNA损伤，恶性肿瘤通常表现出DNA碱基氧化和突变水平升高。不同的生活方式和环境相关因素（包括例如吸烟、饮食、酒精、电离辐射、杀生物剂、杀虫剂、病毒感染）以及其他与健康相关的因素（例如肥胖或衰老过程）可能具有致癌性。在所有这些情况下，氧化应激都起着关键的病理生理机制的作用。然而，必须指出的是，根据目前的知识，氧化/亚硝化/代谢应激、炎症、衰老和癌症是相互关联的概念，必须以协调的方式进行讨论。
