Papers

Peer-reviewed Invited Lead author Corresponding author
Aug 13, 2021

Glutathione and Related Molecules in Parkinsonism

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
  • Masato Asanuma
  • ,
  • Ikuko Miyazaki

Volume
22
Number
16
First page
8689
Last page
8689
Language
English
Publishing type
Research paper (scientific journal)
DOI
10.3390/ijms22168689
Publisher
MDPI AG

Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant intrinsic antioxidant in the central nervous system, and its substrate cysteine readily becomes the oxidized dimeric cystine. Since neurons lack a cystine transport system, neuronal GSH synthesis depends on cystine uptake via the cystine/glutamate exchange transporter (xCT), GSH synthesis, and release in/from surrounding astrocytes. Transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a detoxifying master transcription factor, is expressed mainly in astrocytes and activates the gene expression of various phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes or antioxidants including GSH-related molecules and metallothionein by binding to the antioxidant response element (ARE) of these genes. Accumulating evidence has shown the involvement of dysfunction of antioxidative molecules including GSH and its related molecules in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) or parkinsonian models. Furthermore, we found several agents targeting GSH synthesis in the astrocytes that protect nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal loss in PD models. In this article, the neuroprotective effects of supplementation and enhancement of GSH and its related molecules in PD pathology are reviewed, along with introducing new experimental findings, especially targeting of the xCT-GSH synthetic system and Nrf2–ARE pathway in astrocytes.

Link information
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168689
URL
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/16/8689/pdf
ID information
  • DOI : 10.3390/ijms22168689
  • eISSN : 1422-0067

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