Assessment of the anti-tumor potential of glutathione.
This study assesses the effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) on regenerating liver, 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-MDAB) hepatocarcinogenesis, and normal and transformed hepatocytes in vitro. GSH administered intragastrically caused only a 30% reduction in thymidine incorporation into liver DNA at 24 h after partial hepatectomy; there was no apparent effect on RNA and protein synthesis. Furthermore, in 3'-MDAB induced hepatocarcinogenesis, all GSH-treated animals developed hepatocyte nodules, and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were not reduced. In vitro, GSH was shown to be cytotoxic to both normal and transformed hepatocytes at serum concentrations under 10%. GSH inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation slightly in 2 transformed hepatocyte lines, but not in normal hepatocytes.
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D008749:Methyldimethylaminoazobenzene; D051381:Rats
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008749:Methyldimethylaminoazobenzene; D005978:Glutathione