Biosynthesis of glutathione by rat erythrocytes

Red cell enzymes

As compared to other cells of the body, the mammalian red cell has one of the simplest structural organizations. As a result, this cell has been extensively used in studies involving the structure, function, and integrity of cell membranes as well as cytoplasmic events. Additionally, the metabolic activities of the red blood cell are also relatively simple. During the past quarter century or so, an ocean of knowledge has been gathered on various aspects of red cell metabolism and function. The fields of enzymes, hemoglobin, membrane, and metabolic products comprise the major portion of this knowledge. These advances have made valuable contributions to biochemistry and medicine. Despite these favorable aspects of this simple, anucleated cell, it must be conceded that our knowledge about the red cell is far from complete. We are still in the dark concerning the mechanism involved in several aspects of its membrane, hemoglobin, enzymes, and a large number of other constituents. For example, a large number of enzymes with known catalytic activity but with unknown function have eluded investigators despite active pursuit. This review will be a consolidation of our present knowledge of human red cell enzymes, with particular reference to their usefulness in the diagnosis and therapy of disease. Owing to the multitude of publications by prominent investigators on each of the approximately 50 enzymes discussed in this review, it was impossible to cite a majority of them.

Glutathione biosynthesis in human erythrocytes. I. Identification of the enzymes of glutathione synthesis in hemolysates

The two enzymes required for de novo glutathione synthesis, glutamyl cysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase, have been demonstrated in hemolysates of human erythrocytes. Glutamyl cysteine synthetase requires glutamic acid, cysteine, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and magnesium ions to form gamma-glutamyl cysteine. The activity of this enzyme in hemolysates from 25 normal subjects was 0.43+/-0.04 mumole glutamyl cysteine formed per g hemoglobin per min. Glutathione synthetase requires gamma-glutamyl cysteine, glycine, ATP, and magnesium ions to form glutathione. The activity of this enzyme in hemolysates from 25 normal subjects was 0.19+/-0.03 mumole glutathione formed per g hemoglobin per min. Glutathione synthetase also catalyzes an exchange reaction between glycine and glutathione, but this reaction is not significant under the conditions used for assay of hemolysates. The capacity for erythrocytes to synthesize glutathione exceeds the rate of glutathione turnover by 150-fold, indicating that there is considerable reserve capacity for glutathione synthesis. A patient with erythrocyte glutathione synthetase deficiency has been described. The inability of patients' extracts to synthesize glutathione is corrected by the addition of pure glutathione synthetase, indicating that there is no inhibitor in the patients' erythrocytes.

Studies in the enzymology of glutathione metabolism in human erythrocytes

Spectrophotometric assay methods are described for glutathione synthetase, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase of erythrocytes. The contents of these enzymes in normal human erythrocytes are reported. Erythrocyte glutathione synthetase is inhibited by ADP; this inhibition is competitive with respect to ATP. gamma-Glutamylcysteine synthetase is subject to feedback inhibition by GSH, and is also inhibited by NADH, and to a lesser extent by NAD(+) and NADPH. This enzyme is irreversibly inactivated by cysteamine.

Studies on the oxidation-reduction systems of the erythrocyte

1. Starvation for 3 days produces a decrease in methaemoglobin-reductase and glutathione-reductase activities, but it does not alter the glucose 6-phosphate-dehydrogenase activity of the rat erythrocyte. 2. The feeding of a protein-free diet for 11 days causes greater changes in the first two enzymes and also a diminution of the third. Under this experimental condition slight decreases in protein and haemoglobin contents were noted. 3. The experimental animals did not show methaemoglobinaemia, probably because the activity of methaemoglobin diaphorase is preserved. 4. The GSH content was not affected but the stability of the tripeptide in the presence of an oxidizing agent was diminished.