Zwolak Iwona
Department of Biomedicine and Environmental Research, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów Ave. 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Aug 27;26(17):8316. doi: 10.3390/ijms26178316.
Pyruvate is an alpha-keto acid that occurs naturally in living cells. It is a key metabolite in cellular respiration and a substrate for the synthesis of glucose (in gluconeogenesis) and certain amino acids. Exogenous pyruvate, for example in the form of sodium pyruvate or ethyl pyruvate, has potential therapeutic applications due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This review summarises cell culture and animal studies that report the cytoprotective effects of exogenous pyruvate compounds during exposure to environmental pollutants, drugs, UV radiation, and burns. These reports show that the main mechanisms through which exogenous pyruvate exerts its beneficial effects are the neutralisation of reactive oxygen species, protection and stabilisation of mitochondria, maintenance of ATP levels, and inhibition of inflammatory signalling pathways, including the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. The article also outlines potential challenges associated with the therapeutic use of exogenous pyruvate. These include the instability of inorganic pyruvate (sodium pyruvate) and the fact that the metabolism of ethyl pyruvate differs between humans and animals.
丙酮酸是一种在活细胞中天然存在的α-酮酸。它是细胞呼吸中的关键代谢物，也是葡萄糖（糖异生过程中）和某些氨基酸合成的底物。外源性丙酮酸，例如丙酮酸钠或丙酮酸乙酯的形式，因其抗氧化和抗炎特性而具有潜在的治疗应用。本综述总结了细胞培养和动物研究，这些研究报告了外源性丙酮酸化合物在暴露于环境污染物、药物、紫外线辐射和烧伤时的细胞保护作用。这些报告表明，外源性丙酮酸发挥其有益作用的主要机制是中和活性氧、保护和稳定线粒体、维持ATP水平以及抑制炎症信号通路，包括核因子-κB（NF-κB）通路。本文还概述了与外源性丙酮酸治疗用途相关的潜在挑战。这些挑战包括无机丙酮酸（丙酮酸钠）的不稳定性以及丙酮酸乙酯在人和动物之间代谢不同这一事实。
