Reduced glutathione and S-acetylglutathione as selective apoptosis-inducing agents in cancer therapy.

The effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) and S-acetylglutathione (S-acglu) treatment on several tumor cell lines and normal cells in vitro was investigated. GSH and S-acglu applied at concentrations of 1 mM and 2 mM induced apoptosis in malignant cells as shown by DNA-fragmentation and staining of apoptotic cells with 7-amino-actinomycin D while viability and growth of normal cells were not significantly influenced by this treatment. The results demonstrated that GSH and S-acglu may be selective inducers of apoptosis in malignant cells.