Cellular Redox Environment and Its Influence on Redox Signaling Molecules

Abstract

The redox potential of a cell’s internal environment is well recognized as important for controlling cellular activities. Both animal and plant cells generate and are exposed to a range of reactive molecules involved in cell signaling, including reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, such as hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide. Redox active molecules exist in different oxidation states, with the ratio of the states being able to be determined using the Nernst equation. Therefore, influence of redox environments of cells on the likelihood of the persistence of a particular redox state of a molecule can be estimated, and this might have a profound effect on whether molecules can act as signals. Although the cellular redox may have little influence on some molecules, for others there may be a significant impact from the redox environment. Furthermore, cellular redox environments fluctuate and as they become more oxidizing some signaling molecules may become more persistent while the moderating effect of others may be lessened. Such influence of redox environment needs to be taken into account if the role of such molecules in cell signaling is to be understood.