Tiberi Jessica, Cesarini Valeriana, Stefanelli Roberta, Canterini Sonia, Fiorenza Maria Teresa, La Rosa Piergiorgio
Division of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; PhD program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Department of Biomedicine Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy.
Mech Ageing Dev. 2023 Apr;211:111802. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111802. Epub 2023 Mar 21.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a term that defines a group of unstable compounds derived from exogenous sources or endogenous metabolism. Under physiological conditions, low levels of ROS play a key role in the regulation of signal transduction- or transcription-mediated cellular responses. In contrast, excessive and uncontrolled loading of ROS results in a pathological state known as oxidative stress (OS), a leading contributor to aging and a pivotal factor for the onset and progression of many disorders. Evolution has endowed cells with an antioxidant system involved in stabilizing ROS levels to a specific threshold, maintaining ROS-induced signalling function and limiting negative side effects. In mammals, a great deal of evidence indicates that females defence against ROS is more proficient than males, determining a longer lifespan and lower incidence of most chronic diseases. In this review, we will summarize the most recent sex-related differences in the regulation of redox homeostasis. We will highlight the peculiar aspects of the antioxidant defence in sex-biased diseases whose onset or progression is driven by OS, and we will discuss the molecular, genetic, and evolutionary determinants of female proficiency to cope with ROS.
活性氧（ROS）是一个术语，用于定义一组源自外源或内源性代谢的不稳定化合物。在生理条件下，低水平的ROS在调节信号转导或转录介导的细胞反应中起关键作用。相反，ROS的过度和不受控制的负荷会导致一种称为氧化应激（OS）的病理状态，氧化应激是衰老的主要原因，也是许多疾病发生和发展的关键因素。进化赋予细胞一个抗氧化系统，该系统参与将ROS水平稳定到特定阈值，维持ROS诱导的信号功能并限制负面副作用。在哺乳动物中，大量证据表明，雌性对ROS的防御比雄性更有效，这决定了更长的寿命和大多数慢性疾病的较低发病率。在这篇综述中，我们将总结氧化还原稳态调节中最新的性别相关差异。我们将强调在由OS驱动其发病或进展的性别偏见疾病中抗氧化防御的特殊方面，并讨论雌性应对ROS能力的分子、遗传和进化决定因素。
