Differential effects of cadmium on cytosolic and mitochondrial glutathione levels in the rat heart.

In rats fed a low-selenium diet, cytosolic GSH levels in the heart were significantly elevated when compared to rats fed a selenium-supplemented diet. Similar results were obtained in cardiac cytosol from rats treated with either parenteral or dietary Cd. Mitochondrial GSH was not affected by cadmium in selenium-deficient rats. However, significant elevations of mitochondrial GSH were seen in cadmium-treated rats fed either 0.1 or 0.5 ppm selenium. The alterations in cytosolic GSH levels correlate with reductions in GSH-Px activity reported earlier [(1987) Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 87, in press]. However, levels of mitochondrial GSH did not correlate with GSH-Px activity.