Glutathione metabolism in lenses of Emory and cataract-resistant mice: activity of five enzymes.

The activities of five enzymes of glutathione metabolism were determined in lenses from cataract-resistant and cataract-prone (Emory) mouse variants at three different ages (5 weeks, 10 weeks and 6 months). The enzymes included those required for glutathione synthesis, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase, as well as glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. The differences in the activities of the five enzymes in the two mouse variants were not remarkable at any of the three ages. Activity of each enzyme was noted to be in excess of the preceding one in this integrated metabolic pathway, with the exception of glutathione reductase. gamma-Glutamylcysteine synthetase appears to be the pacesetting enzyme of this metabolic scheme in the mouse lens. The activity of each enzyme was compared with that earlier reported for human, rabbit and dog lenses.