Hyperoxia prolongs the postantibiotic effect (PAE) of the aminoglycoside tobramycin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We tested the hypothesis that the PAE is prolonged because hyperoxia increases free radical flux while tobramycin inhibits the induction of antioxidant defenses. Exposure of P. aeruginosa to hyperoxia (100% O2) for 1 h increased superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione levels. I...

Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like-2 (NRF2) is a master antioxidant and cell protective transcription factor that upregulates antioxidant defenses. In this study we developed a strain of Nrf2 null mutant rats to evaluate the role of reduced NRF2-regulated antioxidant defenses in contributing to endothelial dysfunction and impaired angiogenic responses during salt-induced ANG II suppressi...

As a consequence of aerobic life, organisms must deal with the continuous generation of reactive oxygen species (O2-, H2O2, .OH) as byproducts of metabolism and defend against the harm that these can do to cellular macromolecules. Organisms protect themselves from such damage with both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant defenses. However, the reperfusion injuries noted after ischemic insult...

As a consequence of aerobic life, an organism must deal with the continuous generation of reactive oxygen species (O2-, H202, .OH) as byproducts of metabolism and defend itself against the harm that these can do to cellular macromolecules. Organisms protect themselves from such damage with both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant defenses. However, the reperfusion injuries noted after ischem...

During phagocytosis, phagocytic cells generate superoxide and other reactive oxygen species, which are involved in antibacterial activity. However, many bacteria possess antioxidant defenses that may explain their survival in inflammatory foci. These defenses include antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase, DNA repair systems, scavenging substrates, and competition with ph...

Previous studies in conscious pigs have demonstrated that a sequence of ten 2-min coronary occlusion/2-min reperfusion cycles renders the heart relatively resistant to myocardial stunning 24 h later [late preconditioning (PC) against stunning] by an unknown mechanism. Since oxygen radicals contribute importantly to myocardial stunning and since antioxidant enzymes have been reported to be upreg...