[The role of glutathione and glutathione-related enzymes in antioxidative process].

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced within cells during oxidative metabolism. ROS are scavenged by both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant systems. Reduced glutathione, cysteine-containing tripeptide, and glutathione-related enzymes play a key role in antioxidative processes. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), an enzyme of pentose phosphate pathway, is responsible for the regeneration of G6PDH, the main cellular reductant. Recent investigations suggest that G6PDH is essential to control intracellular reductive potential by increasing glutathione intracellular level, which in turn decreases the amount of ROS.