6PGD

6PGD, also known as 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, is a crucial enzyme found in virtually all organisms. It plays a central role in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), a metabolic route that runs parallel to glycolysis. This pathway is responsible for generating NADPH, a reducing agent vital for anabolic processes and combating oxidative stress, and also for producing pentose sugars, such as ribose-5-phosphate, a building block for nucleic acids.

Specifically, 6PGD catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of 6-phosphogluconate to ribulose-5-phosphate. This reaction involves the reduction of NADP+ to NADPH, highlighting its importance in NADPH production. In humans, 6PGD is encoded by the PGHD gene and is particularly abundant in tissues with high reductive biosynthetic activity, such as the liver, adipose tissue, and adrenal glands. Variations in 6PGD activity can have significant metabolic consequences. For instance, deficiencies in 6PGD are rare but can lead to hemolytic anemia, as red blood cells are highly dependent on NADPH for protection against oxidative damage. Conversely, altered 6PGD expression or activity has been implicated in various cancers, where the PPP is often upregulated to meet the increased demands for NADPH and biosynthetic precursors. Research continues to explore the therapeutic potential of targeting 6PGD in disease states.