Glutathione, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities in erythrocytes and lymphocytes in chronic renal disease.

Erythrocyte and lymphocyte reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities have been investigated in uremic patients pre- and post-dialysis and normal subjects of the same age span. GSH levels and GST activities in erythrocytes and lymphocytes and GR activity in lymphocytes from uremic patients were higher as compared to the corresponding controls. Dialysis resulted in a 17% decrease in GSH levels in erythrocytes. Hemodialysis did not significantly alter erythrocyte GST and GR activities. Hemodialysis produced a 50% decrease in lymphocyte GST activity and a 32% decrease in lymphocyte GR activity. Elevated levels of GSH and increased activities of GST and GR in blood cells of uremic patients may be associated with a compensatory protective mechanism against accumulating toxic wastes in uremic plasma.