H6PD: A Potential Drug Target for Red Blood Cell Metabolism (G9563)

Target Name: H6PD

NCBI ID: G9563

H6PD: A Potential Drug Target for Red Blood Cell Metabolism

H6PD (Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase), also known as G6PD, is an enzyme located in the cytoplasm of red blood cells. It plays a crucial role in the metabolism of glucose, which is the primary source of energy for the human body. H6PD is a key enzyme in the citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle or TCA cycle, which is responsible for the production of energy in the form of ATP from glucose.

H6PD is a protein that consists of 258 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 34.1 kDa. It is a red blood cell enzyme and is expressed in high levels in the cytoplasm of red blood cells. H6PD is a proton transporter, which means it uses ATP to transport protons across the membrane of the cell.

H6PD is involved in the citric acid cycle, which is the primary source of energy for the human body. The citric acid cycle is a multi-step process that involves the breakdown of glucose into carbon dioxide and water, as well as the production of ATP in the form of energy.

H6PD is a key enzyme in the first step of the citric acid cycle, also known as the G6PD-dependent step or G6PD-driven step. In this step, H6PD catalyzes glucose-6-phosphate (G6PD) to form carbon dioxide, water, and NADH. NADH is then used to produce ATP through the process of NADPH regeneration.

H6PD is a potential drug target and has been studied extensively as a potential therapeutic agent for a variety of diseases, including genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia, G6PD-deficiency, and myopathies.

One of the main advantages of H6PD as a drug target is its high expression level in the cytoplasm of red blood cells. This means that H6PD is highly accessible to small molecules, such as drugs, which can be used to inhibit its activity. Additionally, H6PD is a proton transporter, which means it can be targeted directly with small molecules that inhibit its function.

H6PD has also been shown to be involved in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage cellular components and contribute to the development of oxidative stress-related diseases. Therefore, H6PD may also be a useful biomarker for tracking the effects of oxidative stress on the body.

In addition to its potential as a drug target and biomarker, H6PD is also of interest as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of certain diseases. For example, H6PD-deficient mice have been shown to have increased resistance to infection and to have reduced lifespan compared to wild-type mice. Therefore, H6PD may be a useful target for the development of therapies aimed at extending the lifespan of red blood cells.

Overall, H6PD is a protein that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of glucose and has been shown to be involved in a variety of cellular processes. As a potential drug target and biomarker, H6PD is of interest for the development of therapies aimed at improving the health and longevity of red blood cells.

Protein Name: Hexose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase/glucose 1-dehydrogenase

Functions: Bifunctional enzyme localized in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum that catalyzes the first two steps of the oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway/shunt, an alternative to glycolysis and a major source of reducing power and metabolic intermediates for biosynthetic processes (By similarity). Has a hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, with broad substrate specificity compared to glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase/G6PD, and catalyzes the first step of the pentose phosphate pathway (PubMed:12858176, PubMed:18628520, PubMed:23132696). In addition, acts as a 6-phosphogluconolactonase and catalyzes the second step of the pentose phosphate pathway (By similarity). May have a dehydrogenase activity for alternative substrates including glucosamine 6-phosphate and glucose 6-sulfate (By similarity). The main function of this enzyme is to provide reducing equivalents such as NADPH to maintain the adequate levels of reductive cofactors in the oxidizing environment of the endoplasmic reticulum (PubMed:12858176, PubMed:18628520, PubMed:23132696). By producing NADPH that is needed by reductases of the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum like corticosteroid 11-beta-dehydrogenase isozyme 1/HSD11B1, indirectly regulates their activity (PubMed:18628520)

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