Studies on Mercapturic Acids

Abstract

S-Benzylglutathione (BzSG) and some other glutathione derivatives were converted into cysteine derivatives by rat kidney microsomes and served as competitive inhibitors to glutathionase. These conversions were similar to the metabolic breakdown of glutathione by the glutathionase system. Glutathionase was solubilized by treatment with deoxycholate or with heat-treated snake venom; the activity to break down glutathione derivatives was solubilized in parallel with the glutathionase activity. Evidence was presented that the breakdown of glutathione derivatives was catalyzed by the glutathionase of rat kidney microsomes; this suggests that glutathionase participates in the formation of mercapturic acid in animals.