Oxidative Stress due to Free Radicals

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Oxidative Stress due to Free Radicals

 

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that have at least one

unpaired electron, which makes them highly reactive. Free radicals

promote beneficial oxidation that produces energy and kills bacterial

invaders. However, in excess, they produce harmful oxidation

or " oxidative stress " that can damage cell membranes and cell

contents. [2]. These free radicals cause inflammation.

 

In human beings, free radicals are the natural by-products of many

processes within and among cells. Free radicals are created by

exposure to various environmental factors, cigarette and tobacco

smoke, air pollution, alcohol, drugs, radiation from televisions and

computers, chemicals and a busy, stressful life.

 

These factors stimulate molecules in the body called transcription

factors. The transcription factor is any protein required to initiate

or regulate transcription; including both gene regulatory proteins as

well as the general transcription factors. These chemical messengers

signal DNA to start producing protein, which gives direction to the

cells in our body. Transcription factors in the body are harmless,

until they are activated by free radicals. Free radicals cause the

transcription molecules to migrate to the center of the nucleus.

Several transcription factors become pro-inflammatory due to free

radicals and therefore accelerate the aging process.

 

NF-kB transcription factor complex is one of the cellular sensors,

which responds to oxidative stress and regulates gene expression. NF-

kB can increase the activity of genes responsible for inflammation.

DNA binding activities of two other transcription factors, AP-1 and

Sp-1 are seen as inflammatory agents when activated by free radicals.

[3].

 

Other inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, homocysteine,

and fibrinogen show that these blood indicators of inflammation are

strong predictive factors for determining who will suffer a heart

attack. [4,5]. Seemingly unrelated diseases have a common link.

People who have multiple degenerative disorders often exhibit excess

levels of inflammatory markers in their blood. A growing consensus

among scientists is that common disorders such as atherosclerosis,

colon cancer, and Alzheimer's disease are all caused in part by a

chronic inflammatory syndrome.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

Peacefulmind.com

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit

 

 

References:

 

2 Brod, S.A. Unregulated inflammation shortens human functional

longevity. Inflamm. Res. 2000 Nov; 49(11): 561-70.

3. Lindahl et al. 2000 Oct 19; 343(16): 1139 47. Packard et al. 2000;

287:3223-3237 Rader 2000 3261-3263, The New England Journal of

Medicine 2000

4. Licinio, J., Wong, M.L. The role of inflammatory mediators in the

biology of major depression: central nervous system cytokines

modulate the biological substrate of depressive symptoms, regulate

stress-responsive systems, and contribute to neurotoxicity and

neuroprotection. Mol. Psychiatry 1999 Jul; 4(4): 317 27.

5. Sitzer, M., Markus, H.S., Mendall, M.A., Liehr, R., Knorr,

U., Steinmetz, H. C-reactive protein and carotid intimal medial

thickness in a community population. J. Cardiovasc. Risk 2002 Apr; 9

(2): 97-103.