Cu(II) and Cd(II) inhibition of rat liver glutathione S-transferase. A steady-state kinetic study.

The true Michaelis constant for GSH and CDNB was 0.287 mM and 0.180 mM, respectively. Regarding the quantitative effect of Cu(II) and Cd(II) inhibition on the GST system, the I50 value for Cu(II) was 0.250 mM; in contrast, Cd(II) GST-inhibition did not reach the I50 value. When the varied substrate was GSH and CDNB was fixed at saturant concentration, the Cu(II)-inhibition was consistent with a pure competitive pattern. However a mixed pattern was found when CDNB was the varied substrate and GSSH was fixed at saturant concentration. The Cd(II) inhibition effect was consistent with an uncompetitive pattern when GSH was the varied substrate and CDNB was kept at saturant level. When CDNB changed over an extensive range of concentration, the inhibition effect shows a mixed inhibition pattern with a competitive character. In addition the inhibition constants of Cu(II) were one order of magnitude lower than those of Cd(II).