Rana S V S, Allen Tanu, Singh Rajul
Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut 250 004, India.
Indian J Exp Biol. 2002 Jun;40(6):706-16.
Glutathione a predominant tripeptide thiol compound of many prokaryotes and eukaryotes, is synthesized from its precursor amino acids eg. gamma-glutamate, cysteine and glycine. It is mainly involved in detoxication mechanisms through conjugation reactions. Other functions include thiol transfer, destruction of free radicals and metabolism of various exogenous and endogenous compounds. It becomes mandatory for a cell to manage high concentration of intracellular GSH to protect itself from chemical/dug abuse. Glutathione dependent enzymes viz: glutathione-S-transferases, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and gamma-glutamate transpeptidase facilitate protective manifestations. Liver serves as a glutathione-generating factor which supplies the kidney and intestine with other constituents of glutathione resynthesis. The principal mechanism of hepatocyte glutathione turnover appears to be cellular efflux. Kidney too plays an important role in organismic GSH homeostasis. Role of GSH in organs like lung, intestine and brain has recently been described. GSH involvement in programmed cell death has also been indicated. Immense interest makes the then "thee glutathione" as "inevitable glutathione". This article describes the role of this vital molecule in cell physiology and detoxication mechanisms in particular.
谷胱甘肽是许多原核生物和真核生物中主要的三肽硫醇化合物，由其前体氨基酸如γ-谷氨酸、半胱氨酸和甘氨酸合成。它主要通过结合反应参与解毒机制。其他功能包括硫醇转移、自由基的破坏以及各种外源性和内源性化合物的代谢。细胞必须维持高浓度的细胞内谷胱甘肽以保护自身免受化学物质/药物滥用的影响。谷胱甘肽依赖性酶，即谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶、谷胱甘肽还原酶和γ-谷氨酸转肽酶促进了保护作用。肝脏作为谷胱甘肽生成因子，为肾脏和肠道提供谷胱甘肽再合成的其他成分。肝细胞谷胱甘肽周转的主要机制似乎是细胞外排。肾脏在机体谷胱甘肽稳态中也起着重要作用。最近已经描述了谷胱甘肽在肺肽在肺、肠道和大脑等器官中的作用。也表明了谷胱甘肽参与程序性细胞死亡。极大的兴趣使当时的“三肽谷胱甘肽”成为“不可或缺的谷胱甘肽”。本文特别描述了这种重要分子在细胞生理学和解毒机制中的作用。
