Glutathione, an Over One Billion Years Ancient Molecule, Is Still Actively Involved in Cell Regulatory Pathways

Abstract

Glutathione is a very ancient molecule widely distributed in aerobic cells and organisms, either prokaryotes or eukaryotes. Since glutathione in not found in anaerobic cells it could have evolved in the course of the adaptation to the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere. Glutathione is the major non-protein low molecular weight antioxidant and the most important cellular thiol reducing agent. Glutathione biosynthesis occurs in the cytosol from its constituent amino acids; GSH is present also in the most important cellular districts like mitochondria and nucleus to indicate its central role in several metabolic pathways and protective mechanisms. There are several glutathione dependent enzymes involved in various steps of cell metabolism. GSH is a key antioxidant that modulates various cellular processes and therefore is determinant for redox signaling, xenobiotics’s detoxication, regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis and immune functions. Glutathione concentration and redox state is due to a complex interaction between biosynthesis, utilization, degradation, and transport. All these factors are of great importance for understanding the significance of cellular redox balance and its correlation with pathological conditions.