GST in anticancer treatment

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), earlier known as ligandins refers to a group of enzymes, which aid glutathione in many reactions that contribute to the transformation of numerous compounds such as carcinogens, therapeutic drugs and products involved in oxidative stress

Glutathione (GSH) holds a pivotal part in a large number of cell processes, including cell differentiation, expansion, and apoptosis, and disturbances in GSH homeostasis are associated with the etiology and movement of numerous human sicknesses including cancer.

Did you know GST and GSH are always in perfect harmony?

GST is a vital enzyme that is separate from glutathione (GSH), the master antioxidant. GST is an enzyme that assists detoxification. GST does this by speeding up the connection of toxic compounds with GSH, thereby forming a less reactive substance.

The important role carried out by glutathione S transferase (GST) is to catalyze nucleophilic attack order to bring about detoxification of xenobiotics. The activity of GSTs relies upon a steady supply of GSH from the synthetic enzymes gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase, also on the action of specific transporters to remove conjugates of GSH from the cell.

The family of GST’s makes up the most crucial enzymes that protect:

GST’S can constitute upto 10% of cytoplasmic protein in some mammalian organs.

GSTs make up the most vital enzymes that protect:

Humans from toxic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, carcinogens, drugs and other harmful pathogens Plants from pesticides, herbicides, insects, pathogens and other chemical compounds that are peril for survival and many other organisms from insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, and many other chemicals Increase your Glutathione levels today!

Turmeric, a spice that contains curcumin, has been found to contain GST, thus is being researched for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor properties.

Eating a healthy diet full of raw foods, vegetables, proteins, and even herbs and spices, along with keeping your glutathione GSH levels high, all help keep your Glutathione S-Transferase enzymes functioning optimally.

Glutathione S transferases constitute the 9 independent members known as:

Alpha (GSTA)

Kappa (GSTK)

Mu (GSTM)

Pi (GSTP)

Sigma (GSTS)

Theta (GSTT)

Zeta (GSTZ)

Omega (GSTO)

Microsomal (MGST)

Wow! and more being discovered!

Many anticancer drugs require metabolic activation, and thus cancer cells can develop resistance through decreased drug activation. In patients with advanced ovarian cancer, treatment with platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy is applied post-operatively.

Other Functions:

Role in cell signaling Gsts are well known for their ability to conjugate xenobiotic to GSH and thus improve cellular movements. They are also capable of sticking to non- substrate ligands with important cell signaling associations.

Huge number of GST isozymes from different categories have been known to prevent the function of a kinase involved in the MAPK pathway, which helms cell proliferation and death that impede the kinase from carrying out role in signaling cascade.

Drug resistance:

Cancer drug resistance is an intricate phenomenon that is influenced by drug inactivation, drug target alteration, drug efflux, DNA damage repair, cell death inhibition, EMT, inherent cell heterogeneity, epigenetic effects, or any combination of these mechanisms. The current paradigm states that combination therapy should be the best treatment choice because it should prevent the development of drug resistance and be more effective than any one drug on its own. The relation between GSTP and cancer is more conspicuous in the overexpression of GSTP in many cancers.