Abstract
Glutathione content, enzyme activity and isoenzyme composition of glutathione S-transferases were assayed in normal and Barrett's esophageal epithelium of ten patients with Barrett's esophagus. In addition, gastric and duodenal specimens from the same patients were also investigated. Glutathione content, glutathione S-transferase enzyme activity as well as glutathione S-transferase pi content were all significantly lower in Barrett's epithelium as compared to normal esophageal mucosa. In contrast, glutathione S-transferase class alpha enzymes are markedly expressed in Barrett's epithelium, whereas only low amounts are present in normal esophageal epithelium. Glutathione and glutathione S-transferase composition in Barrett's epithelium show striking similarities with gastric epithelium, whereas duodenal epithelium is provided with considerable higher amounts of glutathione and glutathione S-transferases, except for levels of glutathione S-transferase class pi, which are lower. A significant negative correlation exists between glutathione S-transferase enzyme activity in the mucosa along the gastrointestinal tract, and the tumour incidence. Since glutathione and glutathione S-transferase are correlated with protection against cellular or cytogenetic damage, the low content of glutathione and glutathione S-transferases in the Barrett's esophagus may be a factor of relevance for the increased tumour risk in this tissue.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Peters, W., Roelofs, H., Hectors, M. et al. Glutathione and glutathione S-transferases in Barrett's epithelium. Br J Cancer 67, 1413–1417 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1993.262
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1993.262
This article is cited by
-
Cross-talk between the microbiome and chronic inflammation in esophageal cancer: potential driver of oncogenesis
Cancer and Metastasis Reviews (2022)
-
No role for glutathione S-transferase genotypes in Caucasian esophageal squamous cell or adenocarcinoma etiology: an European case–control study
BMC Gastroenterology (2013)
-
Effects of intervention with sulindac and inulin/VSL#3 on mucosal and luminal factors in the pouch of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis
International Journal of Colorectal Disease (2011)
-
Association between gastric mucosal glutathione-S-transferase activity, glutathione-S-transferase gene polymorphisms and Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric cancer
Indian Journal of Gastroenterology (2011)
-
Polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1, T1 and P1 in patients with reflux esophagitis and Barrett’s esophagus
Journal of Human Genetics (2007)