Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS), Antioxidants, and Cerebral Vascular Tone

Michele SALVAGNO
* ORCID logo ,
Elda Diletta STERCHELE
,
Mario ZACCARELLI
,
Simona MRAKIC-SPOSTA
ORCID logo ,
Ian WELSBY
,
Costantino BALESTRA
ORCID logo ,
Fabio Silvio TACCONE
Version 1 : Received: 6 January 2024 / Approved: 9 January 2024 / Online: 9 January 2024 (04:44:03 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Salvagno, M.; Sterchele, E.D.; Zaccarelli, M.; Mrakic-Sposta, S.; Welsby, I.J.; Balestra, C.; Taccone, F.S. Oxidative Stress and Cerebral Vascular Tone: The Role of Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 3007. Salvagno, M.; Sterchele, E.D.; Zaccarelli, M.; Mrakic-Sposta, S.; Welsby, I.J.; Balestra, C.; Taccone, F.S. Oxidative Stress and Cerebral Vascular Tone: The Role of Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 3007.

Abstract

The brain's unique characteristics make it exceptionally susceptible to oxidative stress, which arises from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, reactive nitrogen species (RNS) production, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This review explores the factors contributing to the brain vascular tone vulnerability in the presence of oxidative damage, which can be of clinical interest in critically ill patients or presenting acute brain injuries. The brain's high metabolic rate and inefficient electron transport chain in mitochondria lead to significant ROS generation. Moreover, non-replicating neuronal cells and low repair capacity increase susceptibility to oxidative insult. ROS can influence cerebral vascular tone and permeability, with a potential impact on cerebral autoregulation. Different ROS species, including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, exhibit vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects on cerebral blood vessels. Reactive nitrogen species (RNS), particularly NO and peroxynitrite, also exert vasoactive effects. This review further investigates the neuroprotective effects of antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), vitamin C, vitamin E, and the glutathione redox system. Various studies suggest that these antioxidants could be used as adjunct therapies to protect the cerebral vascular tone during high oxidative stress conditions. Nevertheless, more extensive research is required to comprehensively grasp the relationship between oxidative stress and cerebrovascular tone, as well as to explore the potential benefits of antioxidants as adjunctive therapies in critical illnesses and acute brain injuries.

Keywords

Oxidants; Reactive Oxygen Species; Reactive Nitrogen Species; antioxidants; cerebrovascular tone

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Neuroscience and Neurology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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