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## IntechOpen Book Series Biochemistry Volume 17

Dr. Margarete Dulce Bagatini is an associate professor at the Federal University of Fronteira Sul/Brazil. She has a degree in Pharmacy and a PhD in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry. She is a member of the UFFS Research Advisory Committee and a member of the Biovitta Research Institute. She is currently: the leader of the research group: Biological and Clinical Studies in Human Pathologies, professor of postgraduate programs in

Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry at UFSM, postgraduate program in Biochemistry at UFSC and postgraduate program in Science and Food Technology at UFFS. She has experience in the area of pharmacy and clinical analysis, acting mainly on the following topics: oxidative stress, the purinergic system and human pathologies, being a reviewer of several international journals and books.

#### **Editor of Volume 17: Margarete Dulce Bagatini**

Federal University of the Fronteira Sul, Academic Coordination, Chapecó Campus, Chapecó, SC, Brazil

**Book Series Editor: Miroslav Blumenberg** NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA

### Scope of the Series

Biochemistry, the study of chemical transformations occurring within living organisms, impacts all of life sciences, from molecular crystallography and genetics, to ecology, medicine and population biology. Biochemistry studies macromolecules proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids –their building blocks, structures, functions and interactions. Much of biochemistry is devoted to enzymes, proteins that catalyze chemical reactions, enzyme structures, mechanisms of action and their roles within cells. Biochemistry also studies small signaling molecules, coenzymes, inhibitors, vitamins and hormones, which play roles in the life process. Biochemical experimentation, besides coopting the methods of classical chemistry, e.g., chromatography, adopted new techniques, e.g., X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, NMR, radioisotopes, and developed sophisticated microbial genetic tools, e.g., auxotroph mutants and their revertants, fermentation etc. More recently, biochemistry embraced the 'big data' omics systems.

Initial biochemical studies have been exclusively analytic: dissecting, purifying and examining individual components of a biological system; in exemplary words of Efraim Racker, (1913 - 1991) "Don't waste clean thinking on dirty enzymes." Today however, biochemistry is becoming more agglomerative and comprehensive, setting out to integrate and describe fully a particular biological system. The "big data" metabolomics can define the complement of small molecules, e.g., in a soil or biofilm sample; proteomics can distinguish all the proteins comprising e.g., serum; metagenomics can identify all the genes in a complex environment e.g., bovine rumen. This Biochemistry Series will address both the current research on biomolecules, and the emerging trends with great promise.

Contents

**Section 1**

**Preface XI**

Glutathione System in Health and Disease **1**

**Chapter 1 3**

**Chapter 2 29**

**Chapter 3 49**

**Chapter 4 65**

**Chapter 5 83**

Oxidative Stress in Health and Disease **97**

**Chapter 6 99**

Crosstalk between the Purinergic and Immune Systems: Implications

*by Charles Elias Assmann, Naiara Stefanello, Nathieli Bianchin Bottari,* 

for the Glutathione Antioxidant System in Health and Disease

Subcellular Localization of Glutathione Peroxidase, Change in Glutathione System during Ageing and Effects on Cardiometabolic

*Justin Mboloko Esimo, José Remacle and Nadege Kabamba Ngombe*

Neurodegenerative Diseases: Potential Effect of Glutathione

Periodontal Health and Disease in Glutathione Peroxidase

*by Alejando Córdova Izquierdo, Adrian Emmanuel Iglesias Reyes, Alda Roció Ortiz Muñiz, María de Lourdes Juárez Mosqueda, Jesús Alberto Guevara González, Juan Eulogio Guerra Liera, Gustavo Ruiz Lang, Rubén Huerta Crispín, Abel E. Villa Mancera,* 

*Jucimara Baldissarelli, Maria Rosa Chitolina Schetinger, Vera Maria Melchiors Morsch and Margarete Dulce Bagatini*

*by Théophile Mbemba Fundu, Paulin Mutwale Kapepula,* 

Glutathione Peroxidase in Health and Diseases

Risks and Associated Diseases

*by Eren Sarıkaya and Selami Doğan*

Effect of Oxidative Stress on Sperm Cells

*Pedro Sánchez Aparico and Raúl Sánchez Sánchez*

*by Aoula Moustapha*

*by Figen Öngöz Dede*

**Section 2**

## Contents


#### **Chapter 7 111**

Typical Catalases: Function and Structure *by Yonca Yuzugullu Karakus*

Preface

Oxidative stress, a state that reflects an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and antioxidant defenses, is known to play a pivotal role in the development and progression of several chronic human diseases. To

prevent damage to important cellular components (such as DNA, proteins, and lipids) biological systems present enzymatic and nonenzymatic defenses to counteract high levels of free radicals besides the antioxidants obtained from the diet. Important lines of defense against the harmful effects caused by reactive chemical species include: superoxide dismutase, catalase, enzymes of the glutathione system (such as glutathione peroxidase) and also glutathione, the most abundant thiol in animal cells.

The goal of this book is to present and discuss in more detail some topics especially related to, but not limited to, the glutathione antioxidant system in health and disease. Hopefully, this book will be a handbook for researchers and students providing basic and advanced knowledge and encouraging future research in related fields. The book consists of seven chapters, covering some important aspects of glutathione and glutathione antioxidant enzymes, but also including information about the role of oxidative stress and other important antioxidant enzymes, and the function of the immune and purinergic systems in the modulation of the glutathione system. In this sense, this book provides interdisciplinary information and within each chapter, the

A brief outline of the book chapters is as follows. Chapter 1 (*Modulation of glutathione antioxidant enzymes in health and disease: Role of the purinergic and immune systems – Charles Elias Assmann*) discusses the interplay between the purinergic and immune systems in the modulation of the glutathione system in health and disease. Chapter 2 (*Subcellular localization of glutathione peroxidase, change in glutathione system during ageing and effects on cardiometabolic risks and associated diseases - Théophile Mbemba Fundu*) addresses the localization of glutathione peroxidase in cellular compartments, the alterations in its activity in the process of cellular aging, and the impact on cardiometabolic risk and associated diseases. Chapter 3 (*GPx activity and diseases - Eren Sarıkaya*) provides an overview of the role of glutathione peroxidase in diseases. Chapter 4 (*Neurodegenerative diseases: Potential effect of glutathione - Aoula Moustapha*) presents some insights into the role of glutathione in neural cells and discusses some consequences of glutathione disturbances in neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, in which oxidative stress plays a major role. Chapter 5 (*Periodontal health and disease in glutathione - Figen Öngöz*) presents information on glutathione peroxidase in periodontal health and disease, including aspects related to systemic disease, smoking, wound healing, and medication. Chapter 6 (*Effect of oxidative stress on sperm cells - Alejando Córdova Izquierdo*) examines some general aspects of oxidative stress in cells and its effects in sperm cells, also reviewing the effects on male and female fertility. And finally Chapter 7 (*Typical catalases: Function and structure - Yonca Yuzugullu Karakus*) focuses on the function and structure of mono-functional heme-catalases, emphasizing the information obtained in the last few years mainly in relation to the secondary activity

reader will be given an overview of the subject to be covered.

of these enzymes.
