DETERMINATION OF GLUTATHIONE, GLUTATHIONE-REDUCTASE, GLUTATHIONE-PEROXIDASE AND GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE LEVELS IN HUMAN LUNG-CANCER TISSUES

This study was performed to elucidate the lung glutathione-related def ense potential in tumoral tissues. Reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) g lutathione, glutathione reductase (GR), selenium-dependent (SeGPx) and total glutathione peroxidase (tGPx), and glutathione S-transferase (G ST) activities in 38 tumoral lung tissues and 17 normal lung tissues w ere determined to obtain a comprehensive profile of the lung glutathio ne and glutathione-related enzymes in cancer. The enzyme levels in tum oral tissues (n = 38) were found to be significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in normal tissues (n = 17). Reduced glutathione levels, an d not oxidized glutathione levels, were found to be higher in normal t issues than those in tumoral tissues. We found no statistically signif icant difference between the adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinom a groups for any of the parameters studied. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.