NADPH oxidase (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase) is a membrane-bound enzyme complex that faces the extracellular space. It can be found in the plasma membrane as well as in the membranes of phagosomes used by neutrophil white blood cells to engulf microorganisms. Human isoforms of the catalytic component of the complex include NOX1, NOX2, NOX3, NOX4, NOX5, DUOX1, and DUOX2.
Reaction NADPH oxidase catalyzes the production of superoxide free radicals by transferring one electron to two oxygen molecules from NADPH. NADPH + 2O2 ⇌ NADP+ + 2O−2 + H+
Types In mammals, NADPH oxidase is found in two types: one in white blood cells (neutrophilic) and the other in vascular cells, differing in biochemical structure and functions. Neutrophilic NADPH oxidase produces superoxide almost instantaneously, whereas the vascular enzyme produces superoxide in minutes to hours. Moreover, in white blood cells, superoxide has been found to transfer electrons across the membrane to extracellular oxygen, while in vascular cells, the radical anion appears to be released mainly intracellularly.
Neutrophilic type The isoform found in neutrophils is made up of six subunits. These subunits are:
a Rho GTPase, usually Rac1 or Rac2 (Rac stands for Rho-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate) Five phagocytic oxidase subunits: gp91phox (NOX2) p22phox (CYBA) p40phox (NCF4) p47phox (NCF1) p67phox (NCF2)
Vascular type There are several vascular isoforms of the complex which use paralogs the NOX2 subunit:
NOX1 NOX3 NOX4 NOX5
Thyroid type There are two further paralogs of NOX2 subunit in the thyroid:
DUOX1 DUOX2
Structure
The whole structure of the membrane-bound vascular enzyme is composed of five parts: two cytosolic subunits (p47phox and p67phox), a cytochrome b558 which consists of gp91phox, p22phox and a small G protein Rac. Generation of the superoxide in vascular NADPH occurs by a one-electron reduction of oxygen via the gp91phox subunit, using reduced NADPH as the electron donor. The small G protein carries an essential role in the activation of the oxidase by switching between a GDP-bound (inactive) and GTP-linked (active) forms.
Biological function NADPH oxidases (NOXes) are one of the major sources of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and they still are the focus of extensive research interest due to their exclusive function in producing ROS under normal physiological conditions. The NADPH oxidase complex is dormant under normal circumstances but is activated to assemble in the membranes during respiratory burst. The activated NADPH oxidase generates superoxide which has roles in animal immune response and plant signalling. Superoxide can be produced in phagosomes which have ingested bacteria and fungi, or it can be produced outside of the cell. In macrophages, superoxide kills bacteria and fungi by mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. Superoxide spontaneously dismutates to form peroxide which is then protonated to produce hydrogen peroxide. Opinions are polarised as to how the oxidase kills microbes in neutrophils. On the one hand it is thought that hydrogen peroxide acts as substrate for myeloperoxidase to produce hypochlorous acid. It may also inactivate critical metabolic enzymes, initiate lipid peroxidation, damage iron-sulphur clusters, and liberate redox-active iron, which allows the generation of indiscriminate oxidants such as the hydroxyl radical. An alternative view is that the oxidase elevates the pH in the vacuole to about 9.0, which is optimal for the neutral proteases that degranulate from the cytoplasmic granules (where they are inactive at pH ~5.5) and it pumps potassium into the vacuole, which solubilises the enzymes, and it is the activated proteases that kill and digest the microbes. In insects, NOXes had some functions clarified. Arthropods have three NOX types (NOX4-art, an arthropod-specific p22-phox-independent NOX4, and two calcium-dependent enzymes, DUOX). In the gut, DUOX-dependent ROS production from bacteria-stimulated Drosophila melanogaster mucosa is an important pathogen-killing mechanism and can increase defecation as a defense response. In Aedes aegypti, DUOX is involved in the control of the gut indigenous microbiota. Rhodnius prolixus has calcium activated DUOX, which is involved in eggshell hardening, and NOX5, which is involved in the control of gut motility and blood digestion.
Regulation Careful regulation of NADPH oxidase activity is crucial to maintain a healthy level of ROS in the body. The enzyme is dormant in resting cells but becomes rapidly activated by several stimuli, including bacterial products and cytokines. Vascular NADPH oxidases are regulated by a variety of hormones and factors known to be important players in vascular remodeling and disease. These include thrombin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNFa), lactosylceramide, interleukin-1, and oxidized LDL. It is also stimulated by agonists and arachidonic acid. Conversely, assembly of the complex can be inhibited by apocynin and diphenylene iodonium. Apocynin decreases influenza-induced lung inflammation in mice in vivo and so may have clinical benefits in the treatment of influenza. Ang-1 triggers NOX2, NOX4, and the mitochondria to release ROS and that ROS derived from these sources play distinct roles in the regulation of the Ang-1/Tie 2 signaling pathway and pro-angiogenic responses.
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