Free Radicals And Inflammation

The book deals with the role of both oxygen- and nitrogen- centred free radicals in inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The well-known involvement of the superoxide anion radical in the bactericidal action of inflammatory cells suggests that radicals and the inflammatory response are inextricably linked. The widespread involvement of radicals in human disease seems inevitable, because inflammation is such a conspicuous component of human disease. For the first time, the present text integrates contributions from leading research groups who have been investigating the role of radicals within the context of all stages of inflammation, such as the recruitment of inflammatory cells, their bactericidal action, inflammatory tissue destruction and inflammatory cell death by apoptosis. The chapters are broadly organised so that they trace the clinical course of the acute and chronic inflammatory response, emphasising the therapeutic implications of recent data on the contribution of nitric oxide and related nitrogen-centred species, together with topical research findings on the rote of radicals in inflammatory cell signalling and redox regulation of inflammatory gene transcription. The book will be of interest to academic and industrial researchers and clinicians with interests in the fields of inflammation or free radical biology.