title: Burn injury differentially alters whole-blood and organ glutathione synthesis rates: An experimental model.
abstract: Previous studies from our laboratories revealed a reduced rate of whole-blood (WB) glutathione (GSH) synthesis in severely burned patients. To determine whether WB GSH metabolism is an indicator of the status of GSH metabolism in one or more of the major organs, we used a burn rabbit model to determine GSH concentrations and rates of synthesis in WB, liver, lungs, kidney, and skeletal muscle. L-[1-(13)C]-cysteine was infused intravenously for 6 h in rabbits at 3 days post-burn and in sham burn controls. WB and organ (13)C-enrichment of cysteine and GSH was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Plasma cysteine metabolic flux was increased significantly (P < 0.01) following burn injury. WB, liver, and lung GSH concentrations (P = 0.054, P < 0.05, and P < 0.05, respectively) and fractional rates of GSH synthesis (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.05, respectively) were reduced at 3 days post-burn. Kidney was unaffected. There also appears to be an increased rate of GSH transport out of the liver after burn injury. Hence, there is a differential impact of burn injury on tissue and organ GSH status, with WB qualitatively reflecting the changes in lung and liver. It will be important to determine whether these changes are due to alterations in the intrinsic capacity for GSH synthesis and/or availability of amino acid precursors of GSH.
authors: Shriners Burns Hospital and Burn & Trauma Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA.
authors: Zhe-Wei
authors: ZW
authors: Fei
authors: Shriners Burns Hospital and Burn & Trauma Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA ; Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142 USA.
authors: Vernon R
authors: VR
authors: Young
authors: Shriners Burns Hospital and Burn & Trauma Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA.
authors: Xiao-Ming
authors: XM
authors: Lu
authors: Shriners Burns Hospital and Burn & Trauma Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA.
authors: Andrew B
authors: AB
authors: Rhodes
authors: Shriners Burns Hospital and Burn & Trauma Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA.
authors: Ronald G
authors: RG
authors: Tompkins
authors: Shriners Burns Hospital and Burn & Trauma Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA.
authors: Alan J
authors: AJ
authors: Fischman
authors: Shriners Burns Hospital and Burn & Trauma Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA ; Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142 USA.
authors: Yong-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Yu
keywords: Burn injury; glutathione; glutathione concentration; synthesis rate; whole blood