LIPID PEROXIDES, GLUTATHIONE, GAMMA-GLUTAMYLCYSTEINE SYNTHETASE AND GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSPEPTIDASE ACTIVITIES IN SEVERAL TISSUES OF RATS FOLLOWING WATER-IMMERSION STRESS

The effects of water-immersion restraint (WIR) stress on lipid peroxid e, glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), gamma-glutamylc ysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma -GT) activities in several tissues of rats were investigated. Hepatic and intestinal lipid peroxide levels were increased significantly in t he WIR stress group. In both tissues, GSH levels were significantly de creased and gamma-GCS activity was significantly increased. In additio n, gamma-GT activities remained unchanged in both tissues following WI R stress. However, lipid peroxide and GSH levels did not change in the stomach and brain in the WIR stress group compared to the control gro up. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation, but not the depress ion of GSH synthesis and/or the increase of GSH breakdown may be a fac tor in hepatic and intestinal GSH reduction following WIR stress. (C) 1996 The Italian Pharmacological Society.