Detoxification and oxidative stress
Oxidative stress is an essential phenomenon to the initiation and development of many diseases including cancer, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms of detoxification and production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RNOS see Figure) and their biological reactivity are not yet characterized in a clear and complete fashion. This is illustrated in the case of neurodegenerative diseases for which the presence and activity of detoxification enzymes have been described only recently and partially. RNOS seem to play different if not opposite roles, such as signalling, neuroprotection or cytotoxicity. Our team strives to decipher the catalytic processes of detoxification or production of RNOS, with special attention to several systems strongly implicated in these diseases:
- Metallo-peptides such as Cu-amyloid β involved in Alzheimer's disease. A key aspect of their toxicity is linked to the production of ROS
- NO synthases (NOS) are now regarded as playing a key role in several neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases through the production of RNOS
- Development of new agents active against cell lines representative of medulloblastoma and their mechanisms of action towards cytochromes P450 and production of RNOS