Regulation of prostaglandin synthesis by reduced glutathione in urinary bladder epithelium.

A possible mechanism is presented by which reduced glutathione (GSH) regulates prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in microsomes of the porcine bladder epithelium. At a concentration of GSH less than 10(-5) M, microsomes produced more PGI2 and PGF2 alpha than PGE2. At a greater GSH concentration, PGE2 synthesis was remarkably enhanced. On the other hand, PGI2 and PGF2 alpha synthesis was inhibited. In the presence of 10(-3) M GSH, ten times more PGE2 was produced than the other PGs. The concentration of GSH in porcine bladder epithelium was about 0.6 mM. This reciprocal effect of GSH was also observed in rabbit and bovine bladder epithelium. These findings suggest that GSH is involved in the regulation of PG synthesis in urinary bladder epithelium. GSH may influence the physiological and pathophysiological changes elicited by PGs in the lower urinary tract.