Redox Imbalance and Viral Infections in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016:2016:6547248. doi: 10.1155/2016/6547248. Epub 2016 Mar 27.

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential molecules for many physiological functions and act as second messengers in a large variety of tissues. An imbalance in the production and elimination of ROS is associated with human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. In the last years the notion that neurodegenerative diseases are accompanied by chronic viral infections, which may result in an increase of neurodegenerative diseases progression, emerged. It is known in literature that enhanced viral infection risk, observed during neurodegeneration, is partly due to the increase of ROS accumulation in brain cells. However, the molecular mechanisms of viral infection, occurring during the progression of neurodegeneration, remain unclear. In this review, we discuss the recent knowledge regarding the role of influenza, herpes simplex virus type-1, and retroviruses infection in ROS/RNS-mediated Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Nerve Degeneration / pathology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / pathology*
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / virology*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Virus Diseases / complications*