Effect of hemin and glutathione on some indicators of nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism in rats

Abstract

The accumulation of heme in the organism under the influence of various hemolytic factors can cause the development of oxidative stress with the activation of free radical processes, oxidative damage to macromolecules and supramolecular complexes of cells and tissues. Under these conditions, the antioxidant defense system is activated in the organism, an important link of which is thiol compounds, particularly glutathione. Under such conditions, the processes of nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism associated with the formation of adaptive reactions in response to stress have been investigated insufficiently. The aim of this work is to study some indicators of nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism during the administration of hemin and the combined administration of hemin and glutathione to clarify the role of this antioxidant in the possible correction of metabolic processes. The subjects of the study were mature outbred albino male rats that received intraperitoneal injections of hemin (50 mg/kg) and glutathione (500 mg/kg) solutions, which was administered 0.5 hours before the introduction of hemin. The animals were tested 2 hours after hemin administration. The content of total and non-protein -SH groups, and the activity of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) in liver and kidney homogenates, glycogen content and tyrosinaminotransferase (TAT) activity in liver homogenate were studied. The content of reduced -SH groups can be an indicator of pro-antioxidant balance, GGT activity is one of the indicators of glutathione metabolism, and glycogen content and TAT activity in liver are hormone-sensitive indicators. The introduction of hemin caused a decrease in the content of total and non-protein -SH groups, glycogen content and an increase in TAT activity in liver, as well as an increase in the activity of GGT in this organ. Administration of glutathione to rats 30 minutes before the administration of hemin prevented shifts in these parameters in liver caused by the administration of hemin alone. In kidneys, an increase in the content of total -SH groups was found after the combined administration of glutathione and hemin compared with the effect of hemin alone. The results of this study may indicate a sensitivity of nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism in rat organs to the effect of hemin and the corrective effect of glutathione under these conditions, probably mediated through an increase in the thiol component of the antioxidant defense system.