Glutathione modulation in cancer treatment: will it work

Journal Article · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3016(89)90301-5· OSTI ID:6076048

Mitchell, J B; Cook, J A; DeGraff, W; Glatstein, E; Russo, A

Glutathione (GSH) assumes a pivotal role in numerous cellular functions including bioreductive reactions, maintenance of enzyme activity, amino acid transport, protection from harmful oxidative species, and detoxification of xenobiotics. The importance of GSH in modifying the cellular response to several anti-cancer treatment modalities has become better appreciated with the introduction of agents which can either decrease or elevate GSH levels in cells and tissues. In general, GSH depletion has been demonstrated to further enhance the cytotoxicity of several chemotherapy drugs and nitroimidazole hypoxic cell radiosensitizers. Conversely, GSH elevation affords varying degrees of protection. Whether or not GSH modulating agents will be useful as an adjuvant to selected cancer treatment modalities will depend on whether differential levels of GSH can be achieved in tumor versus normal tissues. Accurate GSH measurements in tumor and normal tissues will be required to adequately use and interpret the results of clinical studies where GSH modulating agents are employed. Precise tumor GSH measurements pose a considerable challenge due to the complicated cellular makeup of tumors.44 references.

• Research Organization: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6076048
• Journal Information: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 16:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
GLUTATHIONE
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
NEOPLASMS
RADIOTHERAPY
RADIOSENSITIZERS
TOXICITY
ANTINEOPLASTIC DRUGS
BIOSYNTHESIS
MAN
METHIONINE
REVIEWS
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DISEASES
DOCUMENT TYPES
DRUGS
FUNCTIONS
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDES
POLYPEPTIDES
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
RADIOLOGY
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
SYNTHESIS
THERAPY
VERTEBRATES
550603* - Medicine- External Radiation in Therapy- (1980-)