Cellular oxidation and reduction (redox) environment is influenced by the production and removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In recent years, several reports support the hypothesis that cellular ROS-levels could function as “second messengers” regulating numerous cellular processes, including proliferation. Periodic oscillations in the cellular redox environment, a redox cycle, regulate cell cycle progression from quiescence (G0) to proliferation (G1, S, G2, and M) and back to quiescence. A loss in the redox control of the cell cycle could lead to aberrant proliferation, a hallmark of various human pathologies. This review discusses the literature which supports the concept of a redox cycle controlling the mammalian cell cycle with an emphasis on how this control relates to proliferative disorders including cancer, wound healing, fibrosis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. We hypothesize that reestablishing the redox control of the cell cycle by manipulating the cellular redox environment could assuage many aspects of the proliferative disorders.

Mutations in the synaptic machinery gene syntaxin-binding protein 1, STXBP1 (also known as MUNC18-1), are linked to childhood epilepsies and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Zebrafish STXBP1 homologs (stxbp1a and stxbp1b) have highly conserved sequence and are prominently expressed in the larval zebrafish brain. To understand the functions of stxbp1a and stxbp1b, we generated loss-of-function mutations using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and studied brain electrical activity, behavior, development, heart physiology, metabolism, and survival in larval zebrafish. Homozygous stxbp1a mutants exhibited a profound lack of movement, low electrical brain activity, low heart rate, decreased glucose and mitochondrial metabolism, and early fatality compared to controls. On the other hand, homozygous stxbp1b mutants had spontaneous electrographic seizures, and reduced locomotor activity response to a movement-inducing “dark-flash” visual stimulus, despite showing normal metabolism, heart rate, survival, and baseline locomotor activity. Our findings in these newly generated mutant lines of zebrafish suggest that zebrafish recapitulate clinical phenotypes associated with human syntaxin-binding protein 1 mutations.

Altered metabolism is an important feature of many epileptic syndromes but has not been reported in Dravet syndrome (DS), a catastrophic childhood epilepsy associated with mutations in a voltage-activated sodium channel, Nav1.1 (SCN1A). To address this, we developed novel methodology to assess real-time changes in bioenergetics in zebrafish larvae between 4 and 6 d postfertilization (dpf). Baseline and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) stimulated glycolytic flux and mitochondrial respiration were simultaneously assessed using a Seahorse Biosciences extracellular flux analyzer. Scn1Lab mutant zebrafish showed a decrease in baseline glycolytic rate and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) compared to controls. A ketogenic diet formulation rescued mutant zebrafish metabolism to control levels. Increasing neuronal excitability with 4-AP resulted in an immediate increase in glycolytic rates in wild-type zebrafish, whereas mitochondrial OCR increased slightly and quickly recovered to baseline values. In contrast, scn1Lab mutant zebrafish showed a significantly slower and exaggerated increase of both glycolytic rates and OCR after 4-AP. The underlying mechanism of decreased baseline OCR in scn1Lab mutants was not because of altered mitochondrial DNA content or dysfunction of enzymes in the electron transport chain or tricarboxylic acid cycle. Examination of glucose metabolism using a PCR array identified five glycolytic genes that were downregulated in scn1Lab mutant zebrafish. Our findings in scn1Lab mutant zebrafish suggest that glucose and mitochondrial hypometabolism contribute to the pathophysiology of DS.

This study investigates the hypothesis that CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) overexpression confers radioresistance to human glioma cells by regulating the late accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and G2/M checkpoint pathway. U118-9 human glioma cells (wild type, neo vector control, and stably overexpressing SOD1) were irradiated (0-10 Gy) and assayed for cell survival, cellular ROS levels, cell cycle phase distributions, and cyclin B1 expression. SOD1 overexpressing cells were radioresistant compared to wild type (wt) and neo vector control (neo) cells. Irradiated wt and neo cells showed a significant increase (~2-fold) in DHE-fluorescence beginning at 2 d post-irradiation, which remained elevated at 8 d post-irradiation. Interestingly, the late accumulation of ROS was suppressed in irradiated SOD1-overexpressing cells. The increase in ROS levels was followed by a decrease in cell growth and viability, and an increase in the percentage of cells with sub G1 DNA content. SOD1 overexpression enhanced radiation-induced G2-accumulation within 24 h post-irradiation, which was accompanied with a decrease in cyclin B1 mRNA and protein levels. These results support the hypothesis that long after the radiation exposure a “metabolic redox-response” regulates radiosensitivity of human glioma cells.

Chronological lifespan (CLS) is defined as the duration of quiescence in which normal cells retain the capacity to reenter the proliferative cycle. This study investigates whether hydroxytyrosol (HT), a naturally occurring polyphenol found in olives, extends CLS in normal human fibroblasts (NHFs). Quiescent NHFs cultured for a long duration (30-60 days) lose their capacity to repopulate. Approximately 60% of these cells exit the cell cycle permanently; a significant increase in the doubling time of the cell population was observed. CLS was extended in quiescent NHFs that were cultured in the presence of HT for 30-60 days. HT-induced extension of CLS was associated with an approximately 3-fold increase in manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity while there was no change in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, catalase, or glutathione peroxidase protein levels. Quiescent NHFs overexpressing a dominant-negative mutant form of MnSOD failed to extend CLS. HT suppressed ageassociated increase in mitochondrial ROS levels. Results from spectroscopy assays indicate that HT in the presence of peroxidases can undergo catechol-semiquinone-quinone redox cycling generating superoxide, which in a cellular context can activate the antioxidant system, e.g., MnSOD expression. These results demonstrate that HT extends CLS by increasing MnSOD activity and decreasing age-associated mitochondrial reactive oxygen species accumulation.