NEDD8 and Oxidative Stress

All living organisms are exposed to oxidative stress produced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) (McCord, 2000; Pajares et al., 2015). ROS, which are highly unstable and reactive, play an important role in various cellular reactions and signals. The protein post-translation modifications (PTM) induced by ROS trigger progressive cell and tissue damage, eventually leading to pathophysiological defects (Devine et al., 2011; Sedelnikova et al., 2010). However, the presence of oxidized molecules does not necessarily imply stress, because many signaling pathways are triggered by ROS (“redox signaling”) and act primarily to restore cellular homeostasis (Finkel, 2000). To maintain the cellular redox homeostasis, cells regulate the level of these free radicals through strictly controlled mechanisms, consisting of highly specific cellular antioxidant defense systems, including free radical neutralizing enzymes and antioxidant molecules (Antelmann and Helmann, 2011; Reichmann et al., 2018).