Effects of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester on heart mitochondrial creatine kinase activity: involvement of sulfhydryl groups.

To study the mechanism of the protective effect of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester, mitochondrial creatine kinase activity of rat heart was measured. Gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester had a protective effect against the depression of creatine kinase activity induced by xanthine + xanthine oxidase or hydrogen peroxide. Gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester also prevented the depression of creatine kinase activity induced by N-ethylmaleimide. It is suggested that the protective effect of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester is related to oxygen free radicals or to reduction of the sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme which were previously oxidized by oxygen free radicals.