Measurement of the intracellular distribution of reduced glutathione in cultured rat hepatocytes using monochlorobimane and confocal laser scanning microscopy

D. Stevenson, D. Wokosin, J. Girkin, M. H. Grant*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) plays a key role in protecting cells from toxicity by maintaining intracellular redox status, conjugating with electrophilic xenobiotics and free radicals, and detoxifying reactive peroxides. Several toxic chemicals interact with GSH during their metabolism, and in many cases it would be advantageous to monitor intracellular GSH distribution during that process. We present a novel method to monitor intracellular GSH levels utilising a new laser light source, InGaN laser, for confocal microscopy and fluorescent detection of monochlorobimane (mBCl) binding to GSH. The sensitivity of the method was compared with that obtained using o-phthalaldehyde (OPT) as a fluorochrome. In the presence of a source of glutathione S-transferase (GST), mBCl was specific for GSH, forming a fluorescent conjugate that was retained in hepatocytes for at least 35 min. mBCl was able to detect the GSH depleting effects caused by progressive inhibition of GSH synthesis by increasing concentrations of buthionine sulfoximine. It effectively monitored the rapid effects of menadione and chromium VI metabolism on intracellular GSH levels in the cytosol and nuclear compartments of the cells. The combination of a specific stain, a novel laser light source and confocal microscopy provide a valuable system for mechanistic studies of intracellular GSH distribution in toxicology studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)609-619
Number of pages11
JournalToxicology in Vitro
Volume16
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2002

Funding

David Stevenson is in receipt of an International Scholarship from Strathclyde University. This work was funded by grant number 78/E15110 from the BBSRC.

Keywords

  • Confocal laser scanning microscopy
  • Cultured hepatocytes
  • InGaN laser source
  • Intracellular reduced glutathione
  • Monochlorobimane

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Toxicology

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