Exploring the biological functions and disease implications of OSGINs: A journey from discovery to clinical relevance

Abstract

Oxidative stress-induced growth inhibitors (OSGINs) represent a new category of proteins that respond to oxidative stress and modulate redox balance. Growing evidence indicates that OSGINs have extensive physiological and pathological functions by regulating essential cellular processes, including proliferation, autophagy, apoptosis, and ferroptosis, thus influencing the progression of various diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and pulmonary fibrosis. Moreover, research indicates that some contaminants, biomaterials, active compounds, and drugs can induce the expression of OSGINs, thereby exerting toxicity or therapeutic effects on the organism. These many functions make OSGINs attractive targets. However, a thorough analysis of the topic is still lacking. This paper presents a systematic review of current OSGINs research, with an emphasis on their molecular functions, regulatory mechanisms, disease roles, and environmental stressors. Furthermore, using virtual screening tools, we identified a series of active molecules with potential inhibitory effects on OSGINs, providing valuable references for further drug development. Our review presents novel insights and guidance for the ongoing investigation of the biological significance and potential clinical applications of OSGINs.