title: Anticataractogenic property of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester in an animal model of cataract.
abstract: The anticataractogenic potential of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester was investigated in model cataracts induced by L-buthionine sulfoximine. Subcutaneous injection of the ester (0.625-2.5 mmol/kg) effectively inhibited cataractogenesis in suckling mice. Treatment of mice with L-buthionine sulfoximine alone resulted in a marked reduction of the glutathione content in the eyes. This deprivation of glutathione was mitigated, to a significant degree, by coadministering gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester. In an experiment with rat lens in culture, gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester was found to elevate the lenticular level of glutathione. These results indicate that gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester is able to permeate across biomembranes and serves as an excellent precursor for glutathione biosynthesis, thereby exerting its anticataractogenic activity.
authors.affiliation: Teijin Institute for Biomedical Research, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohtsu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitahara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujii
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000963:Antimetabolites; D019328:Buthionine Sulfoximine; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008717:Methionine Sulfoximine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000963:Antimetabolites; D004151:Dipeptides; C067744:N-gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester; D008717:Methionine Sulfoximine; D019328:Buthionine Sulfoximine; D005978:Glutathione