Glutathione-related enzyme activities in human fetal adrenal, liver, and kidney.
OBJECTIVE
To understand the capacity of fetal adrenal to catalyze reaction metabolites.


METHODS
Subcellular fractions were prepared by differential centrifugation in fetal adrenal and liver. Glutathione (GSH)-transferase, reductase, and peroxidase were measured.


RESULTS
The mean values (mumol.min-1/g protein) of GSH-transferase activities in adrenal microsome (112 +/- 34), mitochondria (62 +/- 35), and cytosol (191 +/- 89) were 373%, 270%, and 167%, respectively, higher than those in the corresponding fractions of fetal liver. Adrenal microsomal GSH-transferase was positively correlated with adrenal microsomal P-450 (r = 0.821, P < 0.01), and with adrenal microsomal aminopyrine N-demethylase (r = 0.829, P < 0.01). The GSH reductase contents (mumol.min-1/g protein) in adrenal mitochondria (24 +/- 14), and in S9 (36 +/- 15) were almost 5 times higher, compared with that in liver. Selenium-dependent GSH peroxidase was present in all the adrenal.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal adrenal, with greater capacities than those of liver in detoxifying reaction, may act as a drug-metabolizing organ during development.
Peng
R X
RX
Department of Pharmacology, Hubei Medical University, Wuhan, China.
Wang
H
H
Wang
Y S
YS
Fu
L S
LS
Ding
H
H
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008861:Microsomes / Q000201:enzymology; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000201:enzymology
D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase