title: Erythrocytic glutathione and plasma cysteine status of human immunodeficient patients.
abstract: Both deficient and normal blood levels of glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys) have been reported in HIV patients, a discrepancy that has been attributed to different methodologies. The goal of this study was to apply our analytical method to this problem. Blood samples from HIV patients and healthy subjects were collected, immediately stabilized, and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography with dual electrochemical detection. The results showed that the erythrocytic GSH levels were the same in healthy subjects and in HIV patients regardless of their CD4 lymphocyte level. Only those with the lowest CD4 level plus opportunistic infections had supranormal [corrected] GSH concentrations (P < 0.001). GSH plus glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels also were normal in patients. However, the Cys contents were higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.05). These findings demonstrated that HIV patients have normal erythrocytic GSH concentrations and supranormal Cys levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40292, USA. calang@louisville.edu
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003545:Cysteine / Q000097:blood*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood*; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D005978:Glutathione; D003545:Cysteine; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide