Toxic metals: Nanoparticles and oxidative stress
Free radical production and the resulting oxidative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis of numerous disorders. Although heavy metal and nanoparticle toxicities have been studied for many years, their underlying mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. Under physiological conditions, the cells are protected from oxidative stress by high levels of antioxidant enzymes. If the increase in free radical production outweighs the antioxidant defense then cells may fail and “oxidative stress” ensues. The list of oxidative stress related disorders is growing significantly due to air pollution and widely used nonoparticles.
The symposium will include presentations on the fundamental chemistry of transient and quasi-stable reactive oxygen species (ROS), its role in cell signaling, mechanisms of disease, and redox biology. Speakers will discuss their research pertaining to the increased production of ROS by heavy metals and nanoparticles and how this increase may disrupt the balance between free radicals and the cells antioxidant defenses leading to oxidative stress. Groundbreaking research on how superoxides, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide control basic cell metabolism, initiate cell signaling cascades, and how they are affected by heavy metals and nanoparticles will be highlighted. As natural and synthetic antioxidants become ubiquitous in the treatment of oxidative stress, the understanding of the role of iron in biology, mitochondria as sources of ROS and the role of NOx enzymes (e.g., in inflammation), and how these species interact with thiol systems become increasingly important. In particular, we will discuss the dual function of thiol antioxidants as “antioxidants/chelators” for heavy metals and their potential use to treat both heavy metal and nanoparticle toxicities. This conference will bring together researchers from various disciplines to advance scientific knowledge of this rapidly evolving field.
Session organizer
Professor Nuran Ercal joined the Missouri University of Science and Technology faculty in 1992 and was named to the Richard K. Vitek/FCR Endowed Chair in Biochemistry in the summer of 2009. Dr. Ercal has research interests, funded by several NIH and state grants, in the effects of free radicals in biological systems; the benefits of thiol antioxidants in metal toxicity (particularly lead poisoning), radiation and nicotine exposure, alcohol overuse, and HIV proteins; and the development of new techniques for analyzing thiol-containing compounds in biological samples. She earned a medical degree from the Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey in 1981, her master’s degree in physiology from the Ohio State University, and her Ph.D. in physiology from the Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. She has published more than 70 peer-reviewed publications.
