Antioxidant defenses of cultured gastric cells against oxygen metabolites: role of GSH redox cycle and endogenous catalase.

Gastric mucous epithelial cells may represent a first line of defense against reactive oxygen species that are generated within the gastric lumen. However, little is known about their defenses against oxidant species. This study examined the importance of the glutathione (GSH) redox cycle and of endogenous catalase as antioxidant defenses in cultured gastric mucous cells. Cultured rat gastric mucous cells were exposed to H2O2 generated by glucose oxidase acting on glucose or to nascent H2O2 for 5 h. Cytotoxicity was quantified by measuring 51Cr release from prelabeled cells. The effects of inhibition of the GSH redox cycle and of endogenous catalase were examined. Glucose oxidase caused a dose-dependent increase of 51Cr release. Similarly, nascent H2O2 damaged the cells dose dependently. Pretreatment with 1,3-bis(chloroethyl)-1-nitrourea (inhibitor of GSH reductase) dose dependently increased glucose oxidase-induced 51Cr release. Preincubation with buthionine sulfoximine (inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase), which lowered intracellular GSH content, enhanced glucose oxidase-induced damage in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with diethyl maleate, which covalently binds GSH as catalyzed by GSH transferase, also enhanced the sensitivity to lysis by glucose oxidase. However, inhibition of endogenous catalase activity by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole did not significantly alter glucose oxidase- or nascent H2O2-induced 51Cr release. These results suggest that the GSH redox cycle rather than endogenous catalase plays a critical role in intracellular antioxidant defense in cultured gastric mucous cells.