Glutathione in neutrophils from human infants.

The concentration of total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) and its depletion during oxidant stress were studied in neutrophils obtained from human neonates, their mothers and adult controls to determine if the previously reported increased susceptibility of infant neutrophils to oxidant damage could be related to glutathione deficiency. We found the basal level of glutathione to be lower and the oxidant-induced depletion of glutathione to be greater in infant neutrophils than in cells obtained from the blood of the infants' mothers and adult controls. In studies reported earlier, neutrophils from infants were found to be deficient in the oxidant protective enzymes glutathione peroxidase and catalase. These abnormalities, in a fashion similar to that observed for patients with congenital defects of glutathione and catalase metabolism, may render infant neutrophils prone to oxidant damage and consequent dysfunction.