Elevation of cysteine and replenishment of glutathione in rat lung slices by cysteine isopropylester and other cysteine precursors.

In this study, we have used a rat lung slice model to compare the ability to several potential cysteine delivery systems (L-cysteine isopropylester, L-cysteine cyclohexylester, N-acetylcysteine, L,2-oxo-4-thiazolidine carboxylic acid and cysteine) to elevate cysteine and glutathione (GSH) levels in control lung slices and slices depleted of their GSH by diethyl maleate. The esters of cysteine produced the greatest rise in lung slice cysteine. All the cysteine delivery systems were capable of replenishing GSH in lung slices previously depleted of GSH by diethyl maleate.