Cell signalling and the glutathione redox system

Abstract

The reduction/oxidation (redox) state of the cell is a consequence of the balance between the levels of oxidising and reducing equivalents. A reducing intracellular environment is often associated with cell survival; however, redox unbalance is necessary since it represents a regulatory sensor for several nuclear transcription factors. Activator protein 1 (AP-1), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and protein tyrosine phosphatases 1-B (PTP-1B) are some of the well-known molecular factors for which a redox modulation of their activity has been demonstrated. The glutathione buffer system modulates cell response to redox changes induced by either external or intracellular stimuli. This paper summarises recent knowledge on the role played by several redox modulators in inducing signalling events that finally regulate cell cycle progression.