The Innate Immune System and Fever under Redox Control: A Narrative Review

Abstract

In living cells, redox potential is vitally important for normal physiological processes that are closely regulated by antioxidants, free amino acids, and proteins that either have reactive oxygen and nitrogen species capturing capability or can be compartmentalized. Although hundreds of experiments support the regulatory role of free radicals and their derivatives, several authors continue to claim that these perform only harmful and non-regulatory functions. In this paper, we demonstrate that countless intracellular and extracellular signal pathways are directly or indirectly linked to regulated redox processes. We also briefly discuss how artificial oxidative stress can have important therapeutic potential and the possible negative effects of popular antioxidant supplements. Next, we present the argument supported by a large number of studies that many of the major components of innate immunity and fever are essentially associated with redox processes. Our goal is to point out that the production of excess or unregulated free radicals and reactive species can be secondary processes due to the perturbed cellular signal pathways. However, research on pharmacology should consider the important role of redox mechanisms in the innate immune system and fever.

Keywords: DNA; RNS; ROS; Redox regulation; fever; innate immune system.