ABSTRACT
Modulation of intracellular thiol redox status represents an important strategy to regulate a wide variety of cellular signaling processes (1 - 3). Experimentally, a number of agents are used to influence intracel lular thiol redox status, including dithiothreitol, pyrrilodine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), A-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), and α -lipoic acid (LA). Although all of these agents have proven to be very effective in experi mental situations, so far only NAC and LA have established safety record for human use (4-14). This chapter presents a concise overview of LA as a tool to manipulate intracellular thiol redox status and related cellular responses. Also, related properties of LA and NAC are com pared. Details related to the antioxidant and metabolic properties of lipoate have been reviewed elsewhere (14).
