Role of glutathione in an animal model of myoglobinuric acute renal failure.

In a previous study we have shown a role for reactive oxygen metabolites in glycerol-induced acute renal failure, a well-established model for myoglobinuric acute renal failure. In the present study we examined the role of glutathione in this model of acute renal failure. Administration of 50% (vol/vol) glycerol at a dose of 10 ml/kg of body weight to rats intramuscularly resulted in significant renal failure associated with depletion of total kidney glutathione (GSH) from 2.6 +/- 0.1 mumol/g (mean +/- SEM control level) to 1.7 +/- 0.1 mumol/g after 6 hr (P less than 0.001). If GSH were important in glycerol-induced acute renal failure, one would anticipate that exogenously administered GSH should afford protection, while injury should be potentiated if endogenous GSH is depleted. We examined the effect of i.p. administration of L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) at 2 mmol/kg (which results in depletion of kidney GSH) and the effect of increasing renal GSH by i.v. administration of reduced GSH (2 mmol/kg every 3 hr) on kidney function in glycerol-treated rats. Glycerol-injected rats treated with BSO showed significantly worse renal failure than did rats given glycerol alone, while administration of GSH resulted in significant amelioration of glycerol-induced acute renal failure [glycerol treatment alone, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) = 96 +/- 10 and creatinine = 2.5 +/- 0.4 mg/dl; BSO + glycerol treatment, BUN = 123 +/- 7 and creatinine = 3.5 +/- 0.1 mg/dl (n = 9, P less than 0.05); GSH + glycerol treatment, BUN = 78 +/- 10 and creatinine = 1.25 +/- 0.2 mg/dl (n = 8, P less than 0.05)]. In separate experiments 1,3-bis(chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) [which interferes with the enzyme GSH reductase and prevents recycling of oxidized GSH (GSSG) into GSH] resulted in worsening of glycerol-induced acute renal failure similar to that produced by BSO. These functional differences between GSH-depleted and GSH-repleted rats were further substantiated by significant histological differences in tubular injury. Taken together, these results provide evidence for an important role of GSH in glycerol-induced acute renal failure.