Title:Physiological and Pathophysiological Role of Cysteine Metabolism in
Human Metabolic Syndrome
Volume: 14
Issue: 3
Author(s): Arunachalam Muthuraman*, Muthusamy Ramesh*, Sohrab A. Shaikh, Subramanian Aswinprakash and Dhamodharan Jagadeesh
Affiliation:
- Pharmacology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Semeling, 08100, Bedong, Kedah Darul Aman,
Malaysia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Omega College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, 501301, India
Keywords:
Biomarker, homocysteine, hydrogen sulfide, reduced glutathione, stroke, metabolic syndrome.
Abstract: Abstract: Cysteine is one of the major intermediate products of cellular amino-acid metabolism. It
is a semi-essential amino acid for protein synthesis. Besides, it is also employed in the regulation
of major endogenous anti-oxidant molecule i.e., reduced glutathione (GSH). Further, it is a precursor
of multiple sulfur-containing molecules like hydrogen sulfide, lanthionine, taurine, coenzyme
A and biotin. It is also one of the key molecules for post-translational modifications of various cellular
proteins. In physiological conditions, it is employed in the sulfhydration process and plays a
key role in the physiology modification of the inflammatory process in various organs, including
the neurological system. The catabolism of cysteine is regulated by cysteine dioxygenase enzyme
activity. The dysregulated conditions of cysteine and cysteine-associated hydrogen sulfide
metabolism are widely employed in the acceleration of the neurodegenerative process. Moreover,
the upregulation of cysteine and hydrogen sulfide synthesis occurs via the reverse trans-sulfuration
process. This process helps to manage the worsening of a pathological condition of a cellular system.
Moreover, it is also employed in the accumulation of homocysteine contents. Further, both
cysteine and homocysteine molecules are widely accepted as biomarkers for various types of diseases.
Therefore, the targets involved in the regulation of cysteine have been considered as valid
targets to treat various disorders like cardiac disease, ischemic stroke, diabetes, cancer, and renal
dysfunction.