Role of glutathione metabolizing enzymes in nickel mediated induction of hepatic glutathione.

The administration of nickel to rats resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the level of hepatic glutathione and in the activities of glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase with a concomitant decrease in the activities of glutathione peroxidase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The increase in hepatic glutathione may be due to the decrease in the activities of glutathione utilizing enzymes and increase in the activity of glutathione reductase leading to the increased turnover of glutathione.