TY - JOUR
T1 - Vitagenes, dietary antioxidants and neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases
AU - Calabrese, Vittorio
AU - Cornelius, Carolin
AU - Mancuso, Cesare
AU - Barone, Eugenio
AU - Calafato, Stella
AU - Bates, Timothy
AU - Rizzarelli, Enrico
AU - Kostova, Albena T.Dinkova
PY - 2009/1/1
Y1 - 2009/1/1
N2 - The ability of a cell to counteract stressful conditions, known as cellular stress response, requires the activation of pro-survival pathways and the production of molecules with anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic or proapoptotic activities. Among the cellular pathways conferring protection against oxidative stress, a key role is played by vitagenes, which include heat shock proteins (Hsps) heme oxygenase-1 and Hsp70, as well as the thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system. Heat shock response contributes to establish a cytoprotective state in a wide variety of human diseases, including inflammation, cancer, aging and neurodegenerative disorders. Given the broad cytoprotective properties of the heat shock response there is now strong interest in discovering and developing pharmacological agents capable of inducing stress responses. Dietary antioxidants, such as curcumin, L-carnitine/acetyl-L-carnitine and carnosine have recently been demonstrated in vitro to be neuroprotective through the activation of hormetic pathways, including vitagenes. In the present review we discuss the importance of vitagenes in the cellular stress response and analyse, from a pharmacological point of view, the potential use of dietary antioxidants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders in humans.
AB - The ability of a cell to counteract stressful conditions, known as cellular stress response, requires the activation of pro-survival pathways and the production of molecules with anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic or proapoptotic activities. Among the cellular pathways conferring protection against oxidative stress, a key role is played by vitagenes, which include heat shock proteins (Hsps) heme oxygenase-1 and Hsp70, as well as the thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system. Heat shock response contributes to establish a cytoprotective state in a wide variety of human diseases, including inflammation, cancer, aging and neurodegenerative disorders. Given the broad cytoprotective properties of the heat shock response there is now strong interest in discovering and developing pharmacological agents capable of inducing stress responses. Dietary antioxidants, such as curcumin, L-carnitine/acetyl-L-carnitine and carnosine have recently been demonstrated in vitro to be neuroprotective through the activation of hormetic pathways, including vitagenes. In the present review we discuss the importance of vitagenes in the cellular stress response and analyse, from a pharmacological point of view, the potential use of dietary antioxidants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders in humans.
KW - Alzheimer's disease
KW - Bilirubin
KW - Heat shock proteins
KW - Heme oxygenase
KW - Neurodegenerative disorders
KW - Oxidative stress
KW - Review
KW - Vitagenes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=63849154150&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2741/3250
DO - 10.2741/3250
M3 - Article
C2 - 19273073
AN - SCOPUS:63849154150
VL - 14
SP - 376
EP - 397
JO - Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark
JF - Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark
SN - 1093-9946
IS - 1
ER -