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. 1989 Nov;86(22):8727–8731. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.22.8727

Glutathione ester prevents buthionine sulfoximine-induced cataracts and lens epithelial cell damage.

J Mårtensson 1, R Steinherz 1, A Jain 1, A Meister 1
PMCID: PMC298361  PMID: 2813421

Abstract

Treatment of newborn rats and mice with buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, leads to development of cataracts, which are not prevented by treatment with glutathione, but they are prevented by treatment with glutathione monoester. Cataracts are associated with glutathione deficiency in the lens epithelium, which undergoes severe degeneration. The findings indicate that glutathione normally functions in the protection of the lens and lens epithelium against oxidative injury, suggesting that procedures that increase lens glutathione levels might be useful for prevention of other types of cataracts. Relatively low doses of buthionine sulfoximine produce cataracts in newborn animals, and treatment of pregnant mice with buthionine sulfoximine during the last part of gestation leads to cataract formation in the offspring. The high sensitivity of the developing lens to the effects of glutathione deficiency suggests that this tissue may be a useful model for studies on glutathione function.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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