Reactive oxygen species and cellular glutathione pools (ROS/GSH)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular glutathione (GSH) pools constitute the fundamental components of cellular redox homeostasis (Source: NIH, PMC4684116). ROS, including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, are reactive byproducts of aerobic metabolism that function as signaling molecules at low levels but cause oxidative damage at high concentrations (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer, 2011). Glutathione is a tripeptide that acts as the primary endogenous antioxidant, neutralizing ROS and maintaining the intracellular environment in a reduced state (Source: PubChem, CID 124886). In oncology, the ROS/GSH balance is frequently exploited; cancer cells often exhibit high ROS levels and a compensatory increase in GSH, making them sensitive to GSH depletion by drugs like Buthionine sulfoximine (Source: PubMed, 21953717). Conversely, in neurodegenerative diseases, therapeutic efforts focus on boosting GSH pools to protect neurons from oxidative stress (Source: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2014). Because this entry describes a complex physiological state involving multiple metabolites and enzymes rather than a single protein, it is categorized as a biological pathway or system rather than a discrete molecular target.

Other names

Redox homeostasisOxidative stress pathwayIntracellular thiol poolGSH/GSSG system

Modulation of the cellular redox state by either replenishing antioxidant precursors to mitigate oxidative stress or by inhibiting antioxidant synthesis and transport to elevate reactive oxygen species levels beyond the threshold for cell survival.