Characterization of soluble glutathione transferase activity in resting mononuclear leukocytes from human blood.

Glutathione transferase activity in the soluble fraction of resting human mononuclear leukocytes was measured and characterized using [3H] trans-stilbene oxide as a substrate. Because of the low activity of this enzyme in these cells, a published assay procedure developed for rodent liver was slightly modified to improve its sensitivity: the substrate was highly radiolabeled (2 Ci/mmole) and carefully purified, and the incubation time was extended to 30-60 min. The activity measured was linear with cell density up to at least 6 million cells. Soluble glutathione transferase activity measured in this manner has a pH optimum around 7.4 and an optimal temperature of 40 degrees. This activity could be measured in lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, erythrocytes and platelets, but not in plasma. From these measurements it could be calculated that lymphocytes account for somewhat more than half of the total activity in the mononuclear leukocyte fraction and that monocytes account for the rest. The intraindividual variation in soluble glutathione transferase activity towards trans-stilbene oxide in the mononuclear leukocyte fraction from different subjects was only about 10%, whereas the interindividual variation in this same activity was 15-fold. An explanation for this relatively large interindividual variation is now being sought.