CSR, a scavenger receptor-like protein with a protective role against cellular damage caused by UV irradiation and oxidative stress

Oxidative stress is a pathogenic condition that causes cellular damage and, in a normally functioning cell, several transcription factors respond to this threat by modulating expression of genes whose products ameliorate the altered redox status in some way. We have isolated a novel macrophage scavenger receptorlike gene, CSR (cellular stress response), whose transcription in normal fibroblasts was significantly elevated by exposure to UV radiation or hydrogen peroxide, and pre-treatment with antioxidants prevented induction of CSR. Under conditions of oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species were significantly depleted in CSR-overexpressing cells, indicating that the CSR product protects cells by scavenging oxidative molecules or harmful products of oxidation. Further investigations into the regulation and function of CSR should open a way to understanding the cellular response and the pathogenic processes caused by oxidative stress.