Role of glutathione in cell nucleus.
Cells with high proliferation rate have high glutathione levels. This typical feature of cancer cells is viewed usually as a defence mechanism against ionizing radiation or chemotherapy. Efforts have been made in order to decrease cellular glutathione levels in tumours as a necessary pre-treatment for cancer therapy. However, very few reports have considered cellular glutathione as a physiological tool for cells to proliferate and that most of this high glutathione levels were located in the nucleus. The role of nuclear glutathione in cell physiology has become more important in the last years. This review summarizes new findings that point to the nuclear reduced status as an environment that induces heterochromatin formation. Glutathionylation and oxidation of nuclear proteins appear as a reversible physiological mechanism able to regulate DNA compaction, cell cycle and DNA repair.
Department of Physiology, University of Valencia, Spain.
Jelena
J
Markovic
José Luís
JL
García-Gimenez
Amparo
A
Gimeno
José
J
Viña
Federico V
FV
Pallardó
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004260:DNA Repair; D005978:Glutathione / Q000502:physiology*; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism
D006570:Heterochromatin; D006657:Histones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D004247:DNA; D019098:Telomerase; D005978:Glutathione