Intracellular glutathione and its metabolizing enzyme activities in a metastatic variant melanoma cell line.

Levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma GTP) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities in the B16-F10 metastatic melanoma cell line are higher than those in non-metastatic B-16 murine melanoma cells. An inverse relationship was observed between the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and metastatic capacity. Interferon (IFN), an antitumour and antimetastic agent, reduced the experimental metastatic capacity of B16-F10 cells while increasing the intracellular GSH content. This was associated with a fall in activity of GSH-metabolizing enzymes. These results suggest a correlation of intracellular GSH and its metabolizing enzymes with malignant transformation.