Research

A mathematical model of glutathione metabolism

Michael C Reed¹ , Rachel L Thomas¹ , Jovana Pavisic^1,2 , S Jill James³ , Cornelia M Ulrich⁴ and H Frederik Nijhout²

¹Department of Mathematics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA

²Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA

³Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AK 72205, USA

⁴Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA

author email corresponding author email

Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling 2008, 5:8doi:10.1186/1742-4682-5-8

Published:	28 April 2008

Abstract

Background

Glutathione (GSH) plays an important role in anti-oxidant defense and detoxification reactions. It is primarily synthesized in the liver by the transsulfuration pathway and exported to provide precursors for in situ GSH synthesis by other tissues. Deficits in glutathione have been implicated in aging and a host of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Down syndrome and autism.

Approach

We explore the properties of glutathione metabolism in the liver by experimenting with a mathematical model of one-carbon metabolism, the transsulfuration pathway, and glutathione synthesis, transport, and breakdown. The model is based on known properties of the enzymes and the regulation of those enzymes by oxidative stress. We explore the half-life of glutathione, the regulation of glutathione synthesis, and its sensitivity to fluctuations in amino acid input. We use the model to simulate the metabolic profiles previously observed in Down syndrome and autism and compare the model results to clinical data.

Conclusion

We show that the glutathione pools in hepatic cells and in the blood are quite insensitive to fluctuations in amino acid input and offer an explanation based on model predictions. In contrast, we show that hepatic glutathione pools are highly sensitive to the level of oxidative stress. The model shows that overexpression of genes on chromosome 21 and an increase in oxidative stress can explain the metabolic profile of Down syndrome. The model also correctly simulates the metabolic profile of autism when oxidative stress is substantially increased and the adenosine concentration is raised. Finally, we discuss how individual variation arises and its consequences for one-carbon and glutathione metabolism.