Oxidative Stress in Plasmodium: Role of Glutathione Revisited

Abstract

Malaria is still one of the three leading infectious disease in the world. Plasmodium, unicellular eukaryotic parasite responsible for the disease is under immense oxidative stress during the erythrocytic stages of its life cycle. The parasite overcomes the oxidative stress generated endogenously and by host immune system through its antioxidant and redox systems. Plasmodium possesses glutathione and thioredoxin redox systems with overlapping but distinct functions that help it to maintain redox state. Glutathione is the most abundant low molecular weight thiol redox buffer in all living cells that is detrimental for the maintenance of intracellular redox status. Glutathione functions as an antioxidant protecting cells against the deleterious effects of oxidant free radicals and also in detoxification process reactions in parasite. Interfering with glutathione redox system of parasite can be a novel way to combat the disease. The present review describes the recent findings in role and mechanism of glutathione in maintaining the redox status during oxidative stress in infection with Plasmodium