Abstract
Homeostasis in the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardiac myocytes plays a critical role in regulating their physiological functions. Disturbance of balance between generation and removal of ROS is a major cause of cardiac myocyte remodeling, dysfunction, and failure. Cardiac myocytes possess several ROS-producing pathways, such as mitochondrial electron transport chain, NADPH oxidases, and nitric oxide synthases, and have endogenous antioxidation mechanisms. Cardiac Ca2+-signaling toolkit proteins, as well as mitochondrial functions, are largely modulated by ROS under physiological and pathological conditions, thereby producing alterations in contraction, membrane conductivity, cell metabolism and cell growth and death. Mechanical stresses under hypertension, post-myocardial infarction, heart failure, and valve diseases are the main causes for stress-induced cardiac remodeling and functional failure, which are associated with ROS-induced pathogenesis. Experimental evidence demonstrates that many cardioprotective natural antioxidants, enriched in foods or herbs, exert beneficial effects on cardiac functions (Ca2+ signal, contractility and rhythm), myocytes remodeling, inflammation and death in pathological hearts. The review may provide knowledge and insight into the modulation of cardiac pathogenesis by ROS and natural antioxidants.
Highlights
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental changes and other stresses
The present review provides an overview of reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulations in cardiac myocytes and their effects on Ca2+ -signaling proteins and ion transporters/channels that are critical for cardiac rhythm and contraction
In cardiac myocytes under physiological conditions, Ca2+ signaling on regular action potentials contributes to mitochondrial Ca2+ signal, which, in turn, regulates oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria to produce ATP with generating a small amount of ROS
Summary
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental changes and other stresses. Representative free radicals, endogenously produced by our body, are reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). An unbalanced increase of free radical level adversely alters lipid bilayers, proteins, and DNA and causes many human diseases, including cardiac diseases. The present review provides an overview of ROS regulations in cardiac myocytes and their effects on Ca2+ -signaling proteins and ion transporters/channels that are critical for cardiac rhythm and contraction. We describe alterations of ROS regulatory mechanisms and their impact on cardiac myocytes under cardiac diseases and natural antioxidants in foods and herbs, which modulate cardiac muscle functions, its pathological remodeling and apoptosis.
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