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Biochimica et Biophysica Acta
journal homepage: www . elsevier.comllocate/bbadis
Ed itorial
Antioxidants and antioxidant treatmen t in disease
Antioxidants react with .md detoxify reactive tree radicals. In mam­
mals, antioxidants consist of small molecules and redox enzymes that pre­
vent or modulate free radical damage. Molecules such as vitamin E.
vitamin C, and glutathione Jre examples of the fonner, while superoxide
dismutase, catalase., and glutathione peroxidase are examples of the latter.
Free radicals are produced naturally in organelles such as the mito­
chondria. and Mn-superoxide dismutase is resi denr in mitochondria
to modulate superoxide radical levels in th is organelle. Tissue resident,
as well as dieta ry/supplernenra ry sources of antioxidants hold some
promise for treatment of disease, and some of these approaches to the
treatment and/or prevention/modulJtion of disease are discussed in
this Special Issue.
When the rate of production of free ra dicals eclipses the rate of
th eir being scavenged by antioxidants, oxidative or nitrosative stress
(depe nding on the radical typ e) is said to exist. Oxidative/nitrosative
stress can damage essential and/or large num bers of cells in various
organs, potentially leading to di minution of tissue function and pro­
motion of pathogenesis. Exa mples of such oxidative stress-related
diseases/d isorders include neu rodegenera tivc disorders (such as Alz­
he imer disease, Huntington disease. Down syndro me ), neurotrauma.
ki dney disease. cystic fib rosis, various types of ca ncer, chronic ob­
structive pulmonalY disease, pain, and aging. Each of these conditions
is discussed in this Special Iss ue in the co ntext of oxidative stress and
antioxida nts as potentiallherapies for these diseases/disorders.
This special issue of BBA- Molecular Basis of Disease on Amioxi­
dants and Antioxidant Trearmen t of Disease is the culmination of
months of work by the various authors for wh ich we are very grateful.
I (owe-ver, we would be remiss not to mention the extraordinary effort
of the BBA/Elsevier staff who have been so helpful in bringing this spe­
cial issue to fruition, particularly Ms. Melissa Mu rray in San Diego and
Ms. Andy Deelen in Ams terdam, to whom we say thank you.
To the rea der: It is our helief that th is Special Issue provides both
bas ic and applied undemandi ng of amioxidants and their use in a
wide valiety of diseases. Certain principles arise from these excellent
papers, among which is the recognition that the effective use of antiox­
idants in patients with diffe rent disedsE's requires knowledge of: (a)
how the antioxida nts react to neutra li ze free radicals (direct or indirect
action ); (b) cellular location orthe antioxidants (cytosol. membrane bi­
layer, organelle ) relative to the foci or the J11ajor sources uffree radicals;
and (c) the inherent antioxidant status of the subjects being treated
wit h antioxidants. This Special Issue addresses each of these issuE'S
and provides exa mples of dise es/disorders in wh ich antioxidant ther­
apy may be an effective strategy. In so doi ng we also touch in multiple
ways on the contradictions and controversies that currently exist in
the field of antioxid ant therapeutics, whereby previous studies that
see frn nt matter <0 20IL Publish ed by E.lsevier BY
do i: 10.1 0 16Jj.bl>adisl012.02.020
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employed antioxidant therapy have failed, and other studies are pre­
sented whereby antioxidant therapies were obselved to be efficacious.
Such studies highlight that there is a role for antioxidant based thera­
peutics, but that it is clearly not a one ize fits all proposition. Much
more investigation is warranted as the new generation of antioxidant
therapies are being designed and implemented, with treatment begin­
ning in earlier stages of disease onset, and outcomes linked to docu­
mented suppression of oxidative stress. We hope and trust that you
will enjoy this Special fssue ofBBA-Mol.ecular Basis oro isease on Anti­
oxidan ts and Antioxidant Therapy in Disease.
Dr. D. Alld'" Butter!1eld is the Alumni A ociation Endowed
Professor of Biological Chemistry. Dirennr of the Center of
Mt' mbr"ne Sci('ncC5, Director of the Free R.ldical Biology ill
Cdflcel Core Biology Core of Ole Markey wncer Cr nter, Facul­
ty Associate of the Spinal Cord and Br<! in Injury Re5ed rch Cen­
ter, and Faculty of the Sanders-Rrown ( "nfin on Aging at rm'
University or Kcnrucky. Prof. Butterfield bas worked over
35 years in the area of frC<' radical- mediated oxidati ve SlTe."
.'i.S it pertain;; to agingrind ,,9,e-reIJted neurodt'generativc dis­
orders, r'pedally Al zhei mel diSC,!$<:. He li dS publishe" Over
530 pcer-reviewed manLl5C1ipts and fo w' books in these arcas
of I'l'sedrch. and rllm'ntly i. on the ed itorid! bOdrd of seven
journals, including the BBA Molecular Basis of Disease.
Dr Keller is a Professo r and Associate Executi ve Di rector at
Ihe Pennington BlOmediCdI Re se" rr h C<,n ter. and the Di­
rector of tile In srilule for Dementi" Re.search and Preven·
tlon. Dr Keller has worked lor owr 14 year in the arca of
oxidative stress as it perWins to aging. metabolic disorders.
ann dementia. He lIas over 130 peer re vi r w ed manu scrjpts
in tbis areJ, dnd is current ly an Executi ve Editor for BBA
Molecular Basis of Disease.
D. Allan Butterfield
University oj Kentucky. Lexington, KY. USA
Jeffrey N. Keller
Penningron Biomedical Research Center, Baron Rouge, lA, USA