Dynamics of nonprotein and protein sulfhydryl compounds in rat gastric mucosa: possible implication for cytoprotection and ulcerogenesis.

The hypothesis that nonprotein and protein sulfhydryls in gastric mucosa may play some role in the defensive and offensive processes of gastric epithelium was tested in this study in the intact rat gastric mucosa. Both sulfhydryl compounds presented statistically significant changes during the 24-hour day. The content of nonprotein sulfhydryls was less during the dark span than during the light span, while the circadian acrophase of protein sulfhydryls occurred during dark span. These results may offer a new interpretation of the greater vulnerability to ulcerogenic agents of the gastric mucosa of rats during their usual activity span.