Glutamyl cysteine synthetase catalytic and regulatory subunits localize todopaminergic nigral neurons as well as to astrocytes

Glutathione (GSH) is considered one of the primary antioxidant compounds in the brain, important for the removal of peroxides from this organ. GSH lev els have been reported to be significantly lower in the substantia nigra (S N) of Parkinson patients vs. age-matched controls. Curiously, GSH has been proposed to be present in brain astrocytes rather than in neurons even thou gh these cells are not lost in Parkinson disease. We report that the cataly tic and regulatory subunit proteins of glutamyl cysteine synthetase (GCS), the primary enzyme involved in GSH synthesis, are present not only in astro cytes but also in dopaminergic neurons of the SN. This may have important i mplications in terms of GSH loss associated with Parkinson disease. J, Neur osci, Res. 64: 203-206, 2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.