Towards Understanding Nox/Duox Function

There are several sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living organisms. Among them NADPH oxidases of the Nox family are particularly interesting because their dedicated function is to produce ROS in a regulated manner. Purposeful production of ROS by the phagocyte Nox has an essential role in host defense. Over the last ten years it has become clear that purposeful production of ROS is not an exclusive feature of phagocytes, as many other tissues express various Nox isoforms. These enzymes participate in diverse physiological processes, such as regulation of blood pressure, hormone biosynthesis, brain function, and epithelial host defense. Moreover, current evidence indicates that Nox-derived ROS play key roles in disease pathogenesis.

The 2010 Gordon Conference on Nox family NADPH oxidases will present cutting-edge research on the biology of Nox/Duox enzymes. The conference will present a wide range of topics such as the structure and regulation of Nox proteins, molecular mechanisms of Nox-derived ROS production, role of Nox enzymes in disease pathogenesis, functional interaction between Nox proteins and peroxidases and function of Nox proteins in non-mammalian species. A special emphasis will be placed on the analysis of the consequences of Nox/Duox deficiency. The meeting will bring together investigators who are at the forefront of their field and will provide opportunity for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work. Some poster presenters will be selected for short talks.