Autism Studies and Related Medical Conditions, January 2009 - TACA

immunological functions in diseases that are associated with a cysteine and glutathione
deficiency may be significantly enhanced and potentially restored by cysteine
supplementation..."
121. Functions of glutathione and glutathione disulfide in immunology and
immunopathology. FASEB J. 1994 Nov;8(14):1131-8. PMID: 7958618
"Even a moderate increase in the cellular cysteine supply elevates the intracellular
glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels and potentiates
immunological functions of lymphocytes…"
122. Enhancement of tissue glutathione for antioxidant and immune functions in
malnutrition. Biochem Pharmacol. 1994 Jun 15;47(12):2113-23. PMID: 8031307
123. Fernandez-Checa JC et al. Oxidative stress: role of mitochondria and protection by
glutathione. Biofactors. 1998;8(1-2):7-11. PMID: 9699001
124. N-acetylcysteine. Altern Med Rev. 2000 Oct;5(5):467-71. PMID: 11056417 [No
authors listed]
"N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is the acetylated precursor of both the amino acid L-cysteine
and reduced glutathione (GSH). Historically it has been used as a mucolytic agent in
chronic respiratory illnesses as well as an antidote for hepatotoxicity due to
acetaminophen overdose. More recently, animal and human studies of NAC have shown
it to be a powerful antioxidant and a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of
cancer, heart disease, HIV infection, heavy metal toxicity, and other diseases
characterized by free radical oxidant damage. NAC has also been shown to be of some
value in treating Sjogren's syndrome, smoking cessation, influenza, hepatitis C, and
myoclonus epilepsy."
125. Cai J et al. Inhibition of influenza infection by glutathione. Free Radic Biol Med.
2003 Apr 1;34(7):928-36. PMID: 12654482
"Infection by RNA virus induces oxidative stress in host cells. Accumulating evidence
suggests that cellular redox status plays an important role in regulating viral replication
and infectivity. In this study, experiments were performed to determine whether the
thiol antioxidant glutathione (GSH) blocked influenza viral infection in cultures of Madin-
Darby canine kidney cells or human small airway epithelial cells. Protection against
production of active virus particles was observed at a low (0.05-0.1) multiplicity of
infection (MOI). GSH inhibited expression of viral matrix protein and inhibited virally
induced caspase activation and Fas upregulation. In BALB/c mice, inclusion of GSH in
the drinking water decreased viral titer in both lung and trachea homogenates 4 d after
intranasal inoculation with a mouse-adapted influenza strain A/X-31. Together, the data
suggest that the thiol antioxidant GSH has an anti-influenza activity in vitro and in vivo.
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