Characterization of the inhibition of glutathione reductase and the recovery of enzyme activity in exponentially growing murine leukemia (L1210) cells treated with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea.

The inactivation of the enzyme glutathione reductase by 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) was studied in exponentially growing murine leukemia cells. A 1-hr incubation with 1.6 +/- 0.2 microM BCNU resulted in a 50% inhibition of glutathione reductase, while 10 microM BCNU caused total inhibition of the enzyme. The time required for 50% inhibition of glutathione reductase by 10 microM BCNU was 7 min. The recovery of glutathione reductase activity was studied by incubating cells with 10 microM BCNU for 30 min to inhibit all glutathione reductase activity, washing the cells free of drug, and continuing the incubation in fresh medium. Fifty percent of the activity returned within 12 hr. Glutathione reductase activity recovered normally when cell growth and DNA synthesis were inhibited in the cells, but it failed to recover when protein synthesis was inhibited. Therefore, the inactivation of glutathione reductase appears irreversible, and the recovery of enzymatic activity is dependent on the synthesis of new protein. Continuous incubation with 19.8 +/- 0.4 microM BCNU resulted in a 50% inhibition of cell growth. A 1-hr incubation with 7.3 +/- 0.8 microM BCNU resulted in a 50% loss of viability as measured by a soft agar clonogenic assay. These experiments quantify the inhibition of glutathione reductase by BCNU and the recovery of enzyme activity in the context of the toxic effects of the compound. A clinically useful inhibitor of glutathione reductase will require a wider difference between the concentrations required for enzyme inhibition and cytotoxicity than BCNU provides.