Reactive species of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur play cell signalling roles in human health, e.g. recent studies have shown that increased dietary nitrate, which is a source of RNS (reactive nitrogen species), lowers resting blood pressure and the oxygen cost of exercise. In such studies, plasma nitrite and nitrate are readily determined by chemiluminescence. At sites of inflammation, such as the joints of RA (rheumatoid arthritis) patients, the generation of ROS (reactive oxygen species) and RNS overwhelms antioxidant defences and one consequence is oxidative/nitrative damage to proteins. For example, in the inflamed joint, increased RNS-mediated protein damage has been detected in the form of a biomarker, 3-nitrotyrosine, by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, ELISAs and MS. In addition to NO•, another cell-signalling gas produced in the inflamed joint is H2S (hydrogen sulfide), an RSS (reactive sulfur species). This gas is generated by inflammatory induction of H2S-synthesizing enzymes. Using zinc-trap spectrophotometry, we detected high (micromolar) concentrations of H2S in RA synovial fluid and levels correlated with clinical scores of inflammation and disease activity. What might be the consequences of the inflammatory generation of reactive species? Effects on inflammatory cell-signalling pathways certainly appear to be crucial, but in the current review we highlight the concept that ROS/RNS-mediated protein damage creates neoepitopes, resulting in autoantibody formation against proteins, e.g. type-II collagen and the complement component, C1q. These autoantibodies have been detected in inflammatory autoimmune diseases.
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October 2011
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Conference Article|
September 21 2011
Measurement and meaning of markers of reactive species of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur in healthy human subjects and patients with inflammatory joint disease
Paul G. Winyard;
Paul G. Winyard
1
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email paul.winyard@pms.ac.uk).
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Brent Ryan;
Brent Ryan
2
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Paul Eggleton;
Paul Eggleton
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Ahuva Nissim;
Ahuva Nissim
†William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, U.K.
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Emma Taylor;
Emma Taylor
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Maria Letizia Lo Faro;
Maria Letizia Lo Faro
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Torsten Burkholz;
Torsten Burkholz
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Katalin E. Szabó-Taylor;
Katalin E. Szabó-Taylor
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Bridget Fox;
Bridget Fox
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Nick Viner;
Nick Viner
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Richard C. Haigh;
Richard C. Haigh
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Nigel Benjamin;
Nigel Benjamin
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Andrew M. Jones;
Andrew M. Jones
‡School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Matthew Whiteman
Matthew Whiteman
*Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
July 03 2011
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2011 Biochemical Society
2011
Biochem Soc Trans (2011) 39 (5): 1226–1232.
Article history
Received:
July 03 2011
Citation
Paul G. Winyard, Brent Ryan, Paul Eggleton, Ahuva Nissim, Emma Taylor, Maria Letizia Lo Faro, Torsten Burkholz, Katalin E. Szabó-Taylor, Bridget Fox, Nick Viner, Richard C. Haigh, Nigel Benjamin, Andrew M. Jones, Matthew Whiteman; Measurement and meaning of markers of reactive species of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur in healthy human subjects and patients with inflammatory joint disease. Biochem Soc Trans 1 October 2011; 39 (5): 1226–1232. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0391226
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