Journal Top Ten, COLUMNS-Asbestos, November 2004

1 TITLE: "The {gamma}-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase and Glutathione Regulate Asbestos-induced Expression of Activator Protein-1 Family Members and Activity."

SUMMARY: Using lung epithelial cells, the authors of the study find that crocidolite asbestos depletes intracellular glutathione, or compounds containing amino acids joined together by peptide bonds. Within the body, the researchers discovered that inhalation of asbestos demonstrated an increased level of protein. The abundance of subunits of these proteins completely blocked asbestos-induced regulation of a gene involved in the signaling or regulation of cell growth. The authors did find, however, that when overexpression occurred individually, the modifer subunit …