The glyoxalase system is present in the cytosol of cells and cellular organelles, particularly mitochondria. It is found throughout biological life and is thought to be ubiquitous. The widespread distribution and presence of the glyoxalase system in living organisms suggests it fulfils a function of fundamental importance to biological life. Recent investigations have brought new developments in the involvement of the glyoxalase in cell growth and vesicle mobilization, with increasing evidence of changes in the glyoxalase system during tumor growth and diabete mellitus, particularly relating to the development of associated clinical complications.

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The glyoxalase system: new developments towards functional characterization of a metabolic pathway fundamental to biological life.

Enzyme induction in the cytochrome P-450 system.

The effects of ketone body metabolism suggests that mild ketosis may offer therapeutic potential in a variety of different common and rare disease states. These inferences follow directly from the metabolic effects of ketosis and the higher inherent energy present in d-beta-hydroxybutyrate relative to pyruvate, the normal mitochondrial fuel produced by glycolysis leading to an increase in the DeltaG' of ATP hydrolysis. The large categories of disease for which ketones may have therapeutic effects are:(1)diseases of substrate insufficiency or insulin resistance,(2)diseases resulting from free radical damage,(3)disease resulting from hypoxia. Current ketogenic diets are all characterized by elevations of free fatty acids, which may lead to metabolic inefficiency by activation of the PPAR system and its associated uncoupling mitochondrial uncoupling proteins. New diets comprised of ketone bodies themselves or their esters may obviate this present difficulty.

The therapeutic implications of ketone bodies: the effects of ketone bodies in pathological conditions: ketosis, ketogenic diet, redox states, insulin resistance, and mitochondrial metabolism

J P Casazza

Papers

The metabolism of acetone in rat.