SUBUNIT SPECIFICITY AND ORGAN DISTRIBUTION OF GLUTATHIONE TRANSFERASE-CATALYZED S-NITROSOGLUTATHIONE FORMATION FROM ALKYL NITRITES IN THE RAT

Glutathione transferase (GST)-catalysed S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) fo rmation from alkyl nitrites was determined with the homodimers 1-1, 2- 2, 3-3, and 4-4 isolated from rat liver. The 4-4 isoform showed a high specificity for the alkyl nitrites. Total GST activities were studied in homogenates from different organs. The liver showed highest GST ac tivity both with amyl nitrite and with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CD NB) as substrate, the activity ratio of amyl nitrite over CDNB being 3 .8. In lung and heart, these ratios were 6.2 and 5.7, respectively, in dicating a selectivity of these organs for alkyl nitrite metabolism an d GSNO formation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.