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of cysteine and glutathione in HIV infection and other diseases associated
with muscle wasting and immunological dysfunction
Glutathione Articles - Additional Usages
Role of
cysteine and glutathione in HIV infection and other diseases associated
with muscle wasting and immunological dysfunction
Droge W & Holm E
FASEB J, 11(13):1077-89 1997 Nov.
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ABSTRACT
The combination of abnormally
low plasma cystine and glutamine levels, low natural killer (NK) cell
activity, skeletal muscle wasting or muscle fatigue, and increased rates
of urea production defines a complex of abnormalities that is tentatively
called “low CG syndrome.” These symptoms are found in patients with H1V
infection, cancer, major injuries, sepsis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative
colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and to some extent in overtrained
athletes. The coincidence of these symptoms in diseases of different
etiological origin suggests a causal relationship. The low NK cell
activity in most cases is not life-threatening, but may be disastrous in
IUV infection because it may compromise the initially stable balance
between the immune system and virus, and trigger disease progression. This
hypothesis is supported by the coincidence observed between the decrease
of CD4 T cells and a decrease in the plasma cystine level. In addition,
recent studies revealed important clues about the role of cysteine and
glutathione in the development of skeletal muscle wasting. Evidence
suggests that 1) the cystine level is regulated primarily by the normal
postabsorptive skeletal muscle protein catabolism, 2) the cystine level
itself is a physiological regulator of nitrogen balance and body cell
mass, 3) the cyst(e)ine-mediated regulatory circuit is compromised in
various catabolic conditions, including old age, and 4) cysteine
supplementation may be a useful therapy if combined with disease-specific
treatments such as antiviral therapy in HIV infection.-Droge, W., Hohn, E.
Role of cysteine and glutathione in FI1V infection and other diseases
associated with muscle wasting and immunological dysfunction.
Key Words: low CG syndrome Con cycle . plasma
cystine level insulin skeletal muscle glutathionelevel cyst(e)ine
catabolism
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