Nicotinamide Riboside Protects Cells From Oxidative Damage: Preclinical Findings

Synopsis

Oxidative stress, caused by an overload of reactive oxygen species, can make cells die either by apoptosis (a controlled process) or necrosis (an uncontrolled one). Scientists found that the balance of NAD+, a molecule essential for energy and repair, determines which form of cell death occurs. Under mild hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) stress, NAD+ temporarily drops but is restored through the NAMPT-dependent NAD+ salvage pathway, allowing orderly apoptosis. Under severe stress, NAD+ recovery fails due to impaired synthesis, causing ATP depletion and necrosis. Importantly, treating cells with nicotinamide riboside (NR), a vitamin B3–derived NAD+ booster, helped restore NAD+ and ATP even under strong H2O2 stress. NR also reduced necrosis and shifted cell death toward apoptosis, showing that boosting NAD+ can protect cells and control how they respond to severe oxidative damage.

Journal

Cell Death Discovery