This gene encodes a member of the class-I pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase family. This enzyme is a homodimeric flavoprotein. It is a central enzyme of cellular antioxidant defense, and reduces oxidized glutathione disulfide (GSSG) to the sulfhydryl form GSH, which is an important cellular antioxidant. Rare mutations in this gene result in hereditary glutathione reductase deficiency. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2010]
Forensic Context
A study in human casework samples demonstrated that adhesive tape collection for gunshot residue (GSR) from hands, with storage for up to 19 years, had a long-term detrimental effect on biological traces [Grabmüller et al. DOI:10.1007/s12024-017-9864-7]. A study in rats demonstrated that the GSR mRNA, a marker for oxidative stress, showed no significant change after a 5 psi blast exposure but was part of an upregulation battery at 24 hours after a 10-11 psi blast, while it was down-regulated at 24 and 72 hours after a more severe 14-15 psi exposure [Balaban et al. DOI:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2016.02.001].