Review article
Oxidative stress during viral infection: A review

https://doi.org/10.1016/0891-5849(96)00131-1Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open archive

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to analyze the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathogenesis of viral infections, an area of research that has recently gained momentum given the accumulation of evidence regarding the role of ROS in the pathogenesis of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Attention will be focussed on three classes of viruses: (1) RNA viruses, (2) DNA viruses, and (3) retroviruses, with particular attention to influenza viruses, hepatitis B virus, and HIV as representative examples of these three classes, respectively. For each type of virus, evidence for the following will be analyzed: (1) the effect of the virus on activation of phagocytic cells to release ROS and pro-oxidant cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor; (2) the effect of the virus on the pro-/antioxidant balance in host cells, including virally induced inhibition of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and virally induced increases in pro-oxidants such as nitric oxide; (3) effects of the redox state of the cell on the genetic composition of the virus as well as ROS-mediated release of host cell nuclear transcription factor-kappa-B, resulting in increased viral replication; and (4) efficacy of antioxidants as therapeutic agents in viral diseases of both animal models and patients.

Keywords

RNA viruses
DNA viruses
Retroviruses
Pro-oxidant cytokines
Immune response
Viral pathogenesis
Antioxidants
Free radicals

Cited by (0)

1

Kathleen B. Schwarz received her M.D. degree from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, where she also did her residency in Pediatrics and fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology. She conducted postdoctoral research at Washington University. In 1978 she joined the faculty of St. Louis University School of Medicine as Chairman of Pediatric Gastroenterology and, in 1987, she became a member of Department of Pediatrics of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. She is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Acting Chairman, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. Her research interests include the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of viral infections of the liver and the application of noninvasive markers of oxidative stress as an index of antioxidant nutrient status in children.