José Carlos Toledo Junior

José Carlos Toledo Junior is a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences, and Letters of Ribeirão Preto at the University of São Paulo (FFCLRP-USP). He holds a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry from University of São Paulo (USP). His academic journey is marked by postdoctoral experiences in Biochemistry, having worked at the Center for Free Radicals and Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (USA) from 2004 to 2007, and at the Institute of Chemistry at USP between 2007 and 2008. Toledo Junior's research focuses on Biological Inorganic Chemistry, with particular emphasis on investigating labile iron pool (LIP), (metallo)enzymes and the Biological Chemistry and Biochemistry related to nitric oxide and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The LIP represents an ubiquitous source of cellular iron, but whose molecular nature remains unknown. The LIP is a fundamental component of iron homeostasis, protein metalation, and ferroptosis, a type of programmed cell death that depends on iron. Recently, his research group made a significant contribution by determining, for the first time, the thermodynamic affinity constant between LIP and unidentified cellular constituents in a variety of cell types. This discovery revealed that the affinity of LIP for these constituents is much greater than previously estimated, and that the concentration of these components is low, situated in the submicromolar range.Furthermore, the group elucidated a universal and rapid reaction between LIP and the oxidant peroxynitrite, which results in a reduction of the oxidative power of the latter. These discoveries challenge established conceptions about the molecular nature and reactivity of LIP, requiring a reevaluation of the current understanding of this topic. The research group led by José Carlos Toledo Junior aims to deepen studies on the antioxidant role of LIP against peroxynitrite and its biological implications in various conditions. Additionally, the group aspires to identify the specific molecular nature of LIP, an essential step in advancing the understanding of its role in selective metalation of proteins, as well as in cellular and systemic iron homeostasis, and in the process of ferroptosis. This includes investigating the impact of LIP on ferroptosis and iron accumulation in various diseases, including hereditary and neurological conditions associated with dysregulated iron homeostasis. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)