A new role for NADPH oxidase Nox4 in cellular senescence

IBA researchers defined a new role for the NADPH oxidase Nox4 in cellular senescence. Nox4 is a member of the NADPH oxidase family with an important role in cellular physiology, including regulation of signaling, cell differentiation and cell proliferation. Increasing evidence suggests that altered activity of Nox4 contributes to a variety of human diseases, such as pulmonary fibrosis, cardiovascular diseases, benign prostate hyperplasia etc. Previous work by the Jansen-Dürr group established Nox4 as a driver of cellular aging in human endothelial cells. A new study by the same group now highlights the mechanism by which Nox4 induces DNA damage and senescence in human endothelial cells. The researchers found that Nox4 induces mitochondrial dysfunction in such cells and specifically inactivates complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. These findings provide new insight into mechanisms of cellular aging in the human vasculature and establish a new pathomechanism for Nox4.