Functions of Glutathione in Liver and Kidney

The serene phrase, Lest I forget thee, glutathione ... , coined by the Kosowers (1) to describe the state in the 1960's, must be replaced now by something like "Inevitable GSH" in order to characterize the current situation. The surge in interest on the ubiquitous tripeptide has been ama zing, with publications on GSH running at rates as high as one per day, so that it seemed appropriate to convene international experts for a discussion of recent develop ments this year. Unlike the two previous meetings in this decade held in Tlibingen in 1973 (2) and in santa Ynez in 1975 (3), the scope was restricted to Functions of Gluta thione in Liver and Kidney. Only in this way did an in-depth discussion of the current state of knowledge in a limit ed topic appear possible. The last couple of years have seen a fascinating pro ductivity in the fields of (a) Regulation of the Glutathione Level in the Liver, (b) Role of y-Glutamyltransferase in Gluta thione Turnover with emphasis on the renal enzyme, and a critical appraisal of the y-Glutamyl Cycle, (c) Hyd:roperox ide and Disulfide Metaholism, enriched by the discovery of the nonseleniurn-dependent glutathione peroxidase activ ity and its relation to the glutathione-S-transferases, and the participation of the 2GSH/GSSG system in redox transitions in intact organ, cells and isolated mito chondria, and (d) a multitude of Pharmacological and Toxi cological Aspects related to glutathione, mainly centered on the events leading to liver damage and the protective

Contenu
The Regulation of the Glutathione.- Level in the Liver.- Turnover of Glutathione in Rat Liver.- Regulation of the Hepatic Concentration of Reduced Glutathione.- The Role of the Cystathionine Pathway in Glutathione Regulation by Isolated Hepatocytes.- Physiological Significance of Elevation of Liver ?-Glutamyltranspeptidase in Late Pregnancy.- Glutathione Efflux from Perfused Rat Liver and Its Relation to Glutathione Uptake by the Kidney.- Unidirectional Transport of Reduced Glutathione in Rat Liver and Its Metabolization in the Extracellular Space.- The Role of ?-Glutamyl-Transferase in Glutathione Turnover.- Current Status of the ?-Glutamyl Cycle.- Topology and Function of Renal ?-Glutamyl Transpeptidase.- The Membrane Association and Physiological Function of Rat Renal ?-Glutamyltranspeptidase.- Studies on the Active Site of ?-Glutamyl-transferase.- The Role of Glutathione in Transport Activity in Kidney.- Hydroperoxide and Disulfide Metabolism.- Hydroperoxide Metabolism: An Overview.- The Selenium Moiety of Glutathione Peroxidase.- Non-Selenium-Dependent Glutathione Peroxidase.- Properties of Glutathione Disulfide (GSSG) and Glutathione-SS-Conjugate Release from Perfused Rat Liver.- Reduction of Diazenes and Hydroperoxides by Rat Liver Mitochondria.- Effect of Oxidation of Glutathione and Membrane Thiol Groups on Mitochondrial Functions.- The Roles of Glutathione, Thioltransferase, and Glutathione Reductase in the Scission of Sulfur-Sulfur Bonds.- Pharmacological and Toxicological Aspects.- The Glutathione Transferases in Detoxification.- Functions of Glutathione in Drug Metabolism.- Lipid Peroxidation Induced by Ethanol and Halogenated Hydrocarbons in vivo as Measured by Ethane Exhalation.- Drug-induced Lipid Peroxidation in Mouse Liver.- Cellular Functions inGlutathione-Depleted Hepatocytes.- Glutathione and Glutathione Conjugate Metabolism in Isolated Liver and Kidney Cells.- Glutathione-Requiring Enzymes in the Metabolism of Prostaglandin Endoperoxides.