An observed increase of sulphite reductase (COG0369), glutathionylspermidine synthase (COG0754) and glutathione S-transferase (COG0435) support a role for glutathione and glutathione conjugates (for example, glutathionylspermidine (Chiang et al., 2010)) in controlling oxidative damage during colitis. The gene discussed is HPGDS; the disease is colitis.