Mark Hampton
Centre for Free Radical Research, Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch
Extreme oxidative stress contributes to the end stage of various diseases by damaging cellular protein, lipids and nucleic acids. There is growing appreciation, however, that subtle redox changes occur as part of normal metabolism, and that controlled oxidant generation directly regulates the signalling pathways associated with growth factors, hormones and cytokines. Oxidants can activate and inactivate transcription factors, membrane channels, and metabolic enzymes, and modulate calcium-dependent and phosphorylation signalling pathways. These processes incorporate the major regulatory networks of cells, giving redox signals the capacity to tune most aspects of cell physiology. Redox homeostasis itself is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, including diet, inflammation and local oxygen tension. Our proteomic studies have helped reveal proteins that are susceptible to redox modification, and enabled us to investigate the details of signal transmission. These sensor proteins can be sensitive markers of redox disruption associated with early disease processes. This presentation will discuss these fundamental concepts and new methods now available for measuring redox changes and mitochondrial function.