AGE AND GENDER DEPENDENT LEVELS OF GLUTATHIONE AND GLUTATHIONE S-TRANSFERASES IN HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a family of enzymes involved in the detoxification of a wide range of chemicals including chemical car cinogens. Human cytosolic GSTs are divided into four major classes; al pha, mu, pi and theta. This study was performed to evaluate the influe nce of age and gender on the GST isoenzyme expression and glutathione (GSH) content in lymphocytes. Blood was collected from 124 healthy con trols, which were divided into age groups of 20-40 years (21 females, 20 males), 40-60 years (20 females, 21 males) and 60-80 years (20 fema les, 22 males). Lymphocytes were isolated by density centrifugation on Histopaque-1077. After homogenization, cytosolic fractions were isola ted, Herein, GST isoenzyme levels were determined by densitometrical a nalysis of western blots after immunodetection with monoclonal antibod ies. Total GSH content was determined by high performance liquid chrom atography after conjugation with monobromobimane. Spearman rank correl ation and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used for statistical evaluation . Lymphocytic GST mu and pi levels were not correlated with age or gen der, GST alpha was not detectable in lymphocytes. GSH contents were no t different in males and females, but decreased with age in both males and females, In age group 60-80, GSH content was significantly lower as compared with age groups 20-40 and 40-60 in both sexes, Since high GSH is an essential factor in the detoxification of many compounds, th ese data indicate that the detoxification potential of the GSH/GST sys tem in lymphocytes may decrease with age in man.