Oxidative stress and cell cycle checkpoint function

Oxidative stress and the damage that results from it have been implicated i n a wide number of disease processes including atherosclerosis, autoimmune disorders, neuronal degeneration, and cancer. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are ubiquitous and occur naturally in all aerobic species, coming from bot h exogenous and endogenous sources. ROS are quite reactive and readily dama ge biological molecules, including DNA. While the damaging effects of ROS o n DNA have been intensively studied, the effects of oxidative damage on cel l cycle checkpoint function have not. Here will we review several biologica lly important ROS and their sources, the cell cycle, checkpoints, and curre nt knowledge about the effects of ROS on initiating checkpoint responses. ( C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.