Oxidative stress: a critical hint in ionizing radiation induced pyroptosis

Abstract Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a group of oxygen-containing free radicals and peroxygenic compounds, which are important substances in the maintenance of normal physiological functions of the body. Excessive ROS destroy the REDOX balance of the body and cause oxidative damage. Ionizing radiation (IR) is an important source of exogenous ROS and an important pathway for endogenous ROS production in the body. The continuous activation and increase in endogenous and exogenous ROS destroys the body's antioxidant system and stimulates the production of more ROS to form a cascade of amplified inflammatory responses, which ultimately lead to cell death. Pyroptosis is a programmed death process involved in natural immunity, and closely related to the ROS level of the body. Whether pyroptosis is related to IR is still unknown. The present paper reported the effects of IR and pyroptosis on the production and development of ROS to clarify the relationship between ROS, IR and pyroptosis and provide novel ideas for radiation damage, a potential direction for pyroptosis, and an updated connotation for oxidative stress.