Effect of glutathione depletion and oral N-acetyl-cysteine treatment on CD4+ and CD8+ cells.
HIV-infected individuals and SIV-infected rhesus macaques have, on the average, decreased plasma cysteine and cystine concentrations and decreased intracellular glutathione levels. We show that the cysteine supply and the intracellular glutathione levels have a strong influence on the T cell system. A study of healthy human subjects revealed that persons with intracellular glutathione levels of 20-30 nmol/mg protein had significantly higher numbers of CD4+ T cells than persons with either lower or higher glutathione levels. Persons who moved during a 4-week observation period from the optimal to the suboptimal range (10-20 nmol/mg) experienced, on the average, a 30% decrease in CD4+ T cell numbers. This decrease was prevented by treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). NAC caused this relative increase of CD4+ T cell numbers in spite of decreasing glutathione levels and not by increasing the glutathione level. Our studies suggest that the immune system may be exquisitely sensitive not only against a cysteine and glutathione deficiency but also against an excess of cysteine.
Kinscherf
R
R
Department of Immunochemistry, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany.
Fischbach
T
T
Mihm
S
S
Roth
S
S
Hohenhaus-Sievert
E
E
Weiss
C
C
Edler
L
L
Bärtsch
P
P
Dröge
W
W
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*
D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine