Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase: The balance between energy production and genetic material repair in cyanogenic toxicity response

The adult neurons are entirely dependent on aerobic metabolism involving the glycolytic pathway. The primary transport mechanism of glucose have been found to be dependent of exchange with glutamate, while the glutamate thus released is converted into glutamine by the surrounding astrocytes. In the metabolism of the glucose taken up by the neurons, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase converts the glucose-6-phosphate into ribose sugar precursor for generation of genetic materials. In this study, we explain the basic of the rational for the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) into ribose sugar as against the G-6-P proceeding into pyruvate formation for ATP generation. In toxicity studies where oxidative stress was induced by cyanide, we observed a decline in G6PDH levels. In analysis of these findings, it was observed that the G6PDH levels were secondary indicator of oxidative stress. The primary cause in the enzyme shift is for more G6P to proceed into energy production to compensate for the energy block created by cyanide while at the same time reducing the amount of G6P converted into ribose sugar for DNA repair.