Glutathione metabolism in Candida albicans resistant strains to fluconazole and micafungin.

Currently available therapies for candidiasis are based on antifungal drugs belonging to azole and echinocandin families that interfere with different aspects of fungal metabolism. These drugs, beyond their specific effects, elicit also a cellular stress including an unbalance of redox state that is counteracted not only utilizing antioxidant species but also increasing the outcome export by transporters to detoxify the internal environment. These cellular actions are both based on the cytosolic concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH).

Cystamine restores GSTA3 levels in Vanin-1 null mice.

Free cysteamine levels in mouse tissues have been strictly correlated to the presence of membrane-bound pantetheinase activity encoded by Vanin-1. Vanin-1 is involved in many biological processes in mouse, from thymus homing to sexual development. Vanin-1 -/- mice are fertile and grow and develop normally; they better control inflammation and most of the knockout effects were rescued by cystamine treatment.

Synthesis and characterization of a dehydrogenation product arising from the oxidation of aminoethylcysteine ketimine decarboxylated dimer.

While investigating the antioxidant properties of aminoethylcysteine ketimine decarboxylated dimer (1) (a natural substance occurring in biological fluids such as human urine and plasma and in bovine cerebellum), a previously unreported oxidation product was obtained. This compound was identified and characterized through comparison with an authentic sample prepared via Pd-catalyzed dehydrogenation of 1. This molecule is an example of an alternative oxidation pathway involving 1.

Glutathione S-transferase tissue profiling by reporter peptide monitoring.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) form a widespread enzyme superfamily mainly involved in phase II detoxification. Differential expression of the various GST isoforms, differing in catalytic and structural properties, correlates with physiological and pathological states. Fast and simple determination of the GST profile is expected to be an important diagnostic tool in disease analysis.

[Measurement of sulfhemoglobin (S-Hb) blood levels to determine individual hydrogen sulfide exposure in thermal baths in Italy].

Significant exposure to hydrogen sulfide may occur in workers at sulphureous thermal baths. Work-related exposure to hydrogen sulfide may be shown by measuring sulfhemoglobin (S-Hb) blood levels. In this study we measured S-Hb blood levels in two groups of workers at two different thermal baths and compared these with hydrogen sulfide concentrations in the air of the two work environments.

Effect of aminoethylcysteine ketimine decarboxylated dimer, a natural sulfur compound present in human plasma, on tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress in human monocytic U937 cells.

Aminoethylcysteine ketimine decarboxylated dimer (AECK-DD) is a natural sulphur compound present in human plasma and urine and in mammalian brain. Recently, it has been detected in many common dietary vegetables. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of AECK-DD to affect cellular response of U937 human monocytic cells to tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress.

Antioxidant properties of sulfinates: protective effect of hypotaurine on peroxynitrite-dependent damage.

It has been proposed that hypotaurine may function as an antioxidant in vivo. We investigated whether this compound can act as protective agent able to prevent damage from peroxynitrite, a strong oxidizing and nitrating agent that reacts with several biomolecules. The results showed that the compound efficiently protects tyrosine against nitration, alpha1-antiproteinase against inactivation, and human low-density lipoprotein against modification by peroxynitrite.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of the disulfide form of the glutathione analogue gamma-(L-glutamyl)-L-cysteinyl-L-aspartyl-L-cysteine.

By using the chain to chain mode of cyclization the title glutathione analogue (4), containing the 11-membered disulfide ring replacing the native -Cys-Gly fragment, has been synthesized and characterized together with its reduced dithiol form gamma-Glu-Cys-Asp-Cys (5). The activity of (4) with gamma-glutamyl-transferase and glutathione reductase has been evaluated and compared with those of the two conformationally restricted glutathione analogues (2) and (3) previously reported.

Proline-glutamate chimeras in isopeptides. Synthesis and biological evaluation of conformationally restricted glutathione analogues.

The two novel diastereoisomeric glutathione analogues 1 and 2 have been designed and synthesized by replacing the native gamma-glutamylic moiety with the conformational rigid skeleton of cis- or trans-4-carboxy-L-proline residue. Both analogues have been obtained by following the solution phase peptide chemistry methodologies and final reduction of the corresponding disulfide forms 13 and 14. The two analogues 1 and 2 have been tested towards gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT) and human glutathione S-transferase (hGST P1-1).