The Multifunctional Role of GAPDH in Metabolism and Cellular Processes

Abstract

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a pivotal enzyme in the glycolytic pathway, facilitating the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate into 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate while simultaneously reducing NAD+ to NADH. Although primarily recognized for its central role in energy metabolism, GAPDH is also involved in numerous cellular processes beyond glycolysis, including DNA repair, apoptosis, and the regulation of gene expression. Its multifunctional nature has made GAPDH an essential player in cellular homeostasis. Moreover, due to its consistent expression across different cell types, GAPDH is frequently used as a housekeeping gene in gene expression studies to normalize data. This abstract provides an overview of the structure, function, and diverse roles of GAPDH in cellular processes, highlighting its significance not only in metabolism but also in cellular signaling and disease mechanisms. Understanding the multifaceted role of GAPDH offers insights into its potential as a therapeutic target for various disorders and diseases linked to metabolic dysfunction, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions. 

DOI - https://doi.org/10.65525/SVUP.9788198471956.2025.290-295