SUBSTRATES FOR GLUTATHIONE REGENERATION IN MAMMALIAN ERYTHROCYTES

The efficacy of hexoses, their intermediates and analogues, as substra tes for glutathione (GSH) regeneration, were tested in rabbit and guin ea-pig erythrocytes. Glucose was found to be the most effective substr ate in both species. Compared to glucose, the efficacy of other substr ates were: fructose (85%), mannose (68%), galactose (47%), 2-deoxygluc ose (43%), glucose-1-phosphate (29%), 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate (21%) , fructose-6-phosphate (12%) and glucose-6-phosphate (11%) in rabbit e rythrocytes, and mannose (93%), fructose (52%) and 2-deoxyglucose-6-ph osphate (11%) in guinea-pig erythrocytes. Our results provide evidence that in addition to enzyme activities, the availability of the substr ate is also an important factor in determining GSH regeneration in mam malian erythrocytes.