Oxygen detoxifying enzymes in parasites: a review.

Abstract

This review focuses on parasite enzymes which are involved in the detoxification of oxygen radicals, and covers the following enzymes: superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione reductase. These enzymes are crucial for parasites to evade oxygen-mediated attack by host leukocytes, both intracellularly and extracellularly. In addition, the newly defined parasite system involving trypanothione, trypanothione peroxidase and trypanothione reductase is discussed.