Extracellular metabolism of glutathione accounts for its disappearance from the basolateral circulation of the kidney.

Glutathione labeled in each of its amino acid residues, the corresponding free amino acids, and gamma-glutamyl-amino acids were used to evaluate their renal basolateral transport and metabolism at physiological levels of glutathione. Recovery of label in the venous outflow was compared to that of co-administered inulin after a single-pass in vivo infusion of rat kidney. Metabolites of glutathione and of its constituent amino acids were determined. No net basolateral transport of glutathione was detected; instead there was extensive breakdown of glutathione by the actions of basolateral gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and dipeptidase. Glutamate and 5-oxoproline showed net basolateral uptake. Recoveries of 35S greater than those of inulin were found after perfusion of [35S]cysteine and [35S]glutathione suggesting rapid net tubular reabsorption of cyst(e)ine. Recovery of label from perfused [U-14C]glycine was equivalent to that of inulin consistent with little or no net flux. Co-administration of large amounts of unlabeled metabolites together with the labeled glutathiones led to label recoveries closer to those of inulin, consistent with competitive inhibition of labeled metabolite transport. Treatment of rats with an inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase decreased basolateral glutathione metabolism and thus indirectly decreased transport of labeled metabolites. No net basolateral transport of gamma-glutamyl-amino acids was detected. Significant amounts of label perfused as [Glu-U-14C]glutathione appeared in the gamma-glutamyl-amino acid fraction of the renal venous outflows, providing direct evidence that glutathione is used in vivo for the formation of gamma-glutamyl-amino acids.