The Glyoxalase System: Towards Functional Characterization and a Role in Disease Processes

The glyoxalase system catalyzes the conversion of methylglyoxal to d-lactic acid via the intermediate S-d-lactoylglutathione. ¹ It is comprised of two enzymes, glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II, and a catalytic amount of reduced glutathione (Figure 1). The majority of glyoxalase activity is present in the cytosol. Glyoxalase activity may also be detected in permeabilized microsomes, ruptured mitochondria, and nuclei, indicating that there is probably an active glyoxalase system in the interior of the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and nuclei. ^{2 - 4}