Study summary · research use only
The ratio of reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione is maintained in the liver during short-term hepatic hypoxia
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This study in a total of 121 rats examined the ratio of reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in the liver during short-term hepatic hypoxia, produced by occluding the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) for 30 min followed by 0, 10, or 120 min of reperfusion, with glutathione measured by enzymatic assays in liver, bile, and plasma. The hepatic GSH/GSSG ratio was maintained after SMV occlusion despite a decrease in ATP level and energy charge potential, while plasma total glutathione and GSSG in the inferior vena cava increased after occlusion and continued increasing after reperfusion. Biliary GSSG efflux decreased during occlusion and stayed low after reperfusion. The authors concluded the liver secretes excess GSSG into the hepatic vein during occlusion, and that plasma glutathione/GSSG correlate with hepatic oxidative stress.
Abstract
Controversy persists as to whether reperfusion-induced injuries actually occur in the hepatocyte. The liver is the major source of glutathione, a scavenger of hydrogen peroxide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the ratio of reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) [GSH:GSSG] as an index of hepatic metabolic stress. A total of 121 rats were studied. The superior mesenteric vein (SMV) was occluded for 30 min, and this was followed by 0, 10, or 120 min of reperfusion. Total glutathione and GSSG levels in the liver, bile, and plasma were quantified, using glutathione reductase-coupled enzymatic assays. Results indicated that the hepatic GSH/GSSG ratio was maintained after an occlusion of the SMV, despite a decrease in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level and energy charge potential. However, plasma levels of total glutathione and GSSG in the inferior vena cava increased after SMV occlusion and continued to increase after reperfusion. Biliary GSSG efflux decreased during 30-min occlusion of the SMV, and remained low even after reperfusion. The liver maintains homeostasis despite a decrease in biliary GSSG efflux, probably by secreting excess GSSG into the hepatic vein when the SMV is occluded. We conclude that the total amount of glutathione and GSSG in the plasma is directly correlated with oxidative stress in the liver.
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