Autoimmune & ArthritisHow Reactive Oxygen Species Drive Autoimmune Disease Through Metabolic Disruption
Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) are not just toxic byproducts — they are precise signaling molecules that regulate how immune cells behave. When the balance between ROS production and antioxidant recycling tips too far, oxidative stress accumulates, damaging proteins and DNA in ways that trigger autoimmune responses. This review from Luxembourg Institute of Health explains the chemical foundations of how ROS and RNS are generated during immune activation, how antioxidant systems like the pentose phosphate pathway normally keep this in check, and what happens when that system fails. The authors connect redox imbalance directly to three major autoimmune diseases — lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis — and outline emerging therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways to restore immune tolerance.
