The effect of diamide and glutathione on the uptake of alpha-methyl-D-glucoside by slices of rat kidney cortex.

The uptake of alpha-methyl-D-glucoside was stimulated in slices of rat kidney cortex by pretreatment with reduced glutathione. Diamide, an oxidizind agent with high specificity for GSH, caused an inhibition of alpha-methyl-D-glucoside uptake. These effects appeared to be related specifically to GSH, since dithiothreitol and mercaptoethanol did not increase alpha-methyl-D-glucoside uptake, and were not as effective as GSH in reversing the effects of diamide. GSH and diamide had no effect on the uptake of another sugar analog, 3-O-methylglucose, which is not actively transported. Kinetic studies indicated that GSH increased the apparent V without affecting K-m. The results are discussed in terms of the possible role of GSH in the process of sugar transport.