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Title: Dynamics of glutathione regulation in Schistosoma mansoni: correlations with the acute effects of oltipraz

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5151347

Glutathione is present in adult Schistosoma mansoni (0.336 +/- 0.012 nmol/mg protein) at significantly lower levels than uninfected host tissues (1.051 +/- 0.013 nmol/mg protein, liver; 0.627 +/- 0.013 nmol/mg protein, kidney). Host hepatic glutathione levels decline significantly during the course of infection, while renal cortical glutathione levels are unaffected. Of the enzymes regulating glutathione utilization, glutathione reductase in the male parasite exhibits a specific activity of 10.3 +/- 4.2 nmol/mg protein, 15% of hepatic values. The apparent glutathione S-transferase activity was 26 +/- 7 ..mu..mol conjugate formed/min/mg protein with p-nitrobenzyl chloride as substrate (13% of hepatic values) and 526 +/- 18 ..mu..mol conjugate formed/min/mg protein with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as substrate (43% of hepatic values). Male schistosomes exhibited negligible glutathione peroxidase activity. Oltipraz, an antischistosomal compound, effected a significant depletion of parasite and host glutathione levels within 1 h of exposure in vivo and in vitro (at 250 mg/kg and 10 ..mu..M, respectively). Host tissue glutathionine levels returned to, or above, control levels by 6 h after oltipraz administration, while parasite glutathione levels remained significantly depressed. Uptake of (/sup 35/S) cysteine or (/sup 35/S) cystine by schistosomes was inhibited by oltipraz. However, the drug did not alter the relative distribution of label once incorporated into the parasite, indicating that the enzymes of glutathione synthesis were not directly inhibited.

Research Organization:
Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA)
OSTI ID:
5151347
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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