Relation between metal and glutathione concentrations in mouse liver after cadmium, zinc or copper loading.

Cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and cupric chlorides (Cu) were injected i.p. into male mice to examine the relationship between the level of the metals and that of reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver. The injected metals increased in concentration rapidly and attained the highest level at 1 day, while the GSH level decreased rapidly and reached the lowest level at 12 h by Cd and Zn, and at 2 days by Cu injection. These findings suggest that cysteine utilized for the induced metallothionein, which binds the injected metals in the liver, is supplied from hepatic glutathione.