The crosstalk between glutathione metabolism and non-coding RNAs in cancer progression and treatment resistance

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199

Lu Chang1, Chao Qin1, Jianbo Wu1

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huashan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.

Redox Biology
|May 22, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Glutathione (GSH), a key antioxidant, impacts cancer progression and drug resistance. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulate GSH levels, offering potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in cancer initiation and progression.
  • Glutathione (GSH), the primary intracellular antioxidant, is crucial for managing ROS and cellular homeostasis.
  • GSH levels are linked to tumor progression and resistance to cancer therapies, but regulatory mechanisms require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the functions of glutathione (GSH) metabolism.
  • To highlight the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating GSH levels.
  • To explore the significance of ncRNA-mediated GSH regulation in cancer progression, drug resistance, and clinical applications.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on GSH metabolism.
  • Analysis of research on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs).
  • Synthesis of findings on the interplay between ncRNAs, GSH, and cancer.

Main Results:

  • ncRNAs are identified as critical regulators of GSH metabolism.
  • Specific ncRNAs modulate various pathways involved in GSH synthesis and turnover.
  • Dysregulation of ncRNA-GSH interactions contributes to cancer development and therapeutic resistance.

Conclusions:

  • ncRNA-mediated regulation of GSH is a significant factor in cancer biology.
  • Targeting ncRNA-GSH pathways presents a promising strategy for cancer therapy.
  • Further research into these mechanisms could lead to novel clinical applications for cancer treatment.
Keywords:
Cancer progressionGlutathione metabolismResistancelncRNAsmiRNAs

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