Loutfy H. Madkour

Springer, 2020

752 pages, $142 (hardcover)

ISBN 9783030372965

This book is a reference work focused on the role and interactions of nanoparticles and free radicals that are responsible for oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stresses, with deep insights into the intimate mechanisms of their ecotoxicology, cytotoxicity, nanotoxicity, and genotoxicity.

The rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies and their intersections with biological sciences during the 21st century has resulted in an explosion of information produced by numerous inter- and multidisciplinary research projects on nanomedicine. These are directed toward understanding topics such as nano-bio-interactions caused by nanoparticles with beneficial or adverse effects on the environment and human health. The author has organized the scientific sources to be accessible and useful. In this respect, the book is structured into 13 chapters as a collection of scientific review papers, each of which contains a short abstract, keywords, introduction, and explanatory and development sections. A vast list of updated references is included as well.

Each chapter is self-contained, causing repetition in some concepts, definitions, and explanations. The author clearly explains the oxidative stress by the imbalance produced between antioxidants and radical oxygen species (ROS) actions, either by depletion of antioxidants or accumulation of ROS. However, recent research reported in this book has shown that ROS are not simply detrimental because of their high reactivity causing oxidative stress, but they also play an important regulator role in many physiological and pathophysiological redox processes. ROS production can interfere with microbe and virus elimination through various mechanisms, but also could contribute to increasing pathogen burden as occurs in autoimmune inflammation, causing tissue damage. These findings offer perspectives for the use of antioxidants against particular infections.

As a result of recent advances in nanofabrication, there is an extensive application pallet of nanomaterials in industry, consumer products, and medicine, which raises serious concerns regarding the potential toxicity of nanoparticles in humans by generating reactive radicals. Both oxidative and ER stress parameters are analyzed in connection with improvement-testing strategies for aligning nanomaterial safety assessment and oxidative stress responses. The final goal is to highlight the correlation between the roles of antioxidant therapeutic defenses toward redox biology and regulation of immune responses. The book is generously illustrated with figures and diagrams and closes with general conclusions and future perspectives.

This book is recommended for both early-career and experienced researchers and specialists, being extremely useful for graduate students to aid in understanding the fundamentals in molecular biology and mechanisms of oxidative and ER stresses, while also being a resource for the development of new findings in nanomedication and innovative therapies.