Relationships between the cellular glutathione level and in vitro life span of human diploid fibroblasts.
In order to examine the role of cellular glutathione (GSH) in the in vitro aging of human diploid fibroblasts, we studied the effects of manipulated cellular GSH levels on their in vitro life span. An increase in cellular GSH level was produced by the addition of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a carrier of cysteine across cell membranes, into the culture medium, while a decrease in GSH level was produced by the addition of L-buthionine-(R,S)-sulfoximine (BSO), a specific inhibitor of GSH synthetase. When the cells were serially subcultivated in a medium containing NAC or BSO, their life spans were markedly extended or shortened, respectively, in comparison to the life span of cells grown in a control medium. These results suggest that the cellular GSH level is a determinant of the in vitro life span of human diploid cells.
Honda
S
S
Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Japan.
Matsuo
M
M
D000111:Acetylcysteine; D000963:Antimetabolites; D019328:Buthionine Sulfoximine; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008717:Methionine Sulfoximine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
D000963:Antimetabolites; D003470:Culture Media; D008717:Methionine Sulfoximine; D019328:Buthionine Sulfoximine; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine