Nucleotide binding properties of cytosolic components required for expression of activity of the superoxide generating NADPH oxidase

The superoxide generating NADPH oxidase was studied in an SDS-activated cell-free system. This system requires the participation of both membranal and cytosolic components. Cytosol derived from elicited peritoneal guinea pig macrophages was fractionated by several nucleotide affinity chromatography procedures. Various such fractionations led to the separation of two distinct factors, both of which are necessary for the activation and/or activity of the superoxide-forming NADPH oxidase. One factor (sigma 2), bound to octyl, 2',5'-ADP-, 5'-ATP-, 5'-GTP-agarose and carboxymethyl-Sepharose but did not bind to hexyl, 5'-AMP-, 5'-ADP- and 5'-GDP-agarose. The other factor (sigma 1) did not bind to any of the above matrices. Subsequent elution of sigma 2 from 2',5'-ADP-agarose was effected by ATP, GTP and NADPH but not by NADH. Elution from GTP-agarose was by ATP and GTP but not by NADPH. Elution from ATP-agarose was by ATP, GTP and also, albeit weakly, by NADPH. The above results suggest that sigma 2 contains a site which recognizes the phosphate group at the ribose 2' position in adenosine, and a site that recognizes purine nucleotide triphosphates.     

Crystallographic analysis of the binding of NADPH, NADPH fragments, and NADPH analogues to glutathione reductase

The binding of the substrate NADPH as well as a number of fragments and derivatives of NADPH to glutathione reductase from human erythrocytes has been investigated by using X-ray crystallography. Crystals of the enzyme were soaked with the compounds of interest, and then the diffraction intensities were collected out to a resolution of 3 A. By use of phase information from the refined structure of the native enzyme in its oxidized state, electron density maps could be calculated. Difference Fourier electron density maps with coefficients Fsoak - Fnative showed that the ligands tested bound either at the functional NADPH binding site or not at all. Electron density maps with coefficients 2Fsoak - Fnative were used to estimate occupancies for various parts of the bound ligands. This revealed that all ligands except NADPH and NADH, which were fully bound, showed differential binding between the adenine end and the nicotinamide end of the molecule: The adenine end always bound with a higher occupancy than the nicotinamide end. Models were built for the protein-ligand complexes and subjected to restrained refinement at 3-A resolution. The mode of binding of NADPH, including the conformational changes of the protein, is described. NADH binding is clearly shown to involve a trapped inorganic phosphate at the position normally occupied by the 2'-phosphate of NADPH. A comparison of the binding of NADPH with the binding of the fragments and analogues provides a structural explanation for their relative binding affinities. In this respect, proper charge and hydrogen-bonding characteristics of buried parts of the ligand seem to be particularly important.     

Allosteric regulation of phosphodiesterase from Portulaca callus by cGMP and papaverin

Three fractions of phosphodiesterase activity capable of hydrolysing cyclic 3′,5′-AMP and cyclic 3′,5′-GMP were purified from Portulaca callus. Hydrolysing bis-(p-nitrophenyl)-phosphate, two fractions showed linear Lineweaver-Burk plots. One fraction showed positive cooperativity. This fraction can be activated competitively by blue dextran, indicating a possible allosteric regulation by nucleotides, demonstrated by changing from being positively cooperative, to following Michaelis-Menten kinetics by cGMP and papaverin. cGMP triggers an enzyme highly active against 3′,5′cAMP and 3′5′cGMP, and papaverin triggers high activity against 2′,3′cAMP, demonstrated by two separate enzyme fractions.     

Reconstitution of the partially purified membrane component of the superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase of pig neutrophils with phospholipid

The NADPH-dependent superoxide-generating oxidase of pig neutrophils is activated by sodium dodecyl sulfate in a cell-free system. The activation requires both membrane and cytosolic components. The membrane component was effectively extracted with 0.75% octyl glucoside and the extract was fractionated by wheat-germ-agglutinin-agarose column chromatography. The chromatography resulted in loss of the O2--generating activity in the cell-free system. The activity, however, was restored by the reconstitution with the fraction which passed through the column (fraction A) and the one eluted with N-acetylglucosamine (fraction B) using an octyl glucose dilution procedure: both fractions were pre-mixed in the presence of 0.75% octyl glucoside and diluted by putting the mixture into the detergent-free assay mixture. The latter fraction was copurified with cytochrome b558, the content of which is 2.12 +/- 0.53 nmol/mg protein (mean +/- SD, n = 5). The potency of fraction B in the reconstitution of the O2--generating activity was lost by heat treatment and decreased by protease treatment, whereas that of fraction A was not affected. Fraction A in the reconstitution of the O2--generating activity was replaced by lipid extracted from fraction A, furthermore, by exogenous phospholipid, azolectin. The O2--generating activity reconstituted with azolectin and the partially purified component in fraction B was dependent on SDS, cytosol and the concentrations of azolectin and FAD. The activity was sensitive to p-chloromercuribenzoate but not to azide. The maximal activity was obtained at pH 7.0-7.5. The Km values for NADPH and NADH were 0.024 mM and 0.57 mM, respectively. These properties were consistent with those of the NADPH oxidase responsible for the respiratory burst. The activity in the reconstitution system was 20.5 +/- 3.5 mumol O2-.min-1.mg-1 membrane-derived protein (mean +/- SD, n = 5) which shows that the membrane component was purified about 100-fold. These findings indicate that cytochrome b558 is probably a membrane component of the O2--generating NADPH oxidase and its activation in the cell-free system requires the reconstitution with phospholipids.     

一种快速非同位素测定2',5'-寡聚腺苷酸合成酶活性的方法

介绍一种新的非同位素测定２′,５′－寡聚腺苷酸合成酶（２′,５′－ＯＡＳＥ）活性的方法．反应液经已糖激酶处理,点样于ＰＥＩ－纤维素薄层层析板上,经甲醇浸泡与预层析和在０．７５ｍｏｌ／ＬＫＨ２ＰＯ４（ｐＨ３．５）缓冲液中的层析可使ＡＤＰ和２′,５′－Ａｎ分离开,系统偏差和２′,５′－ＯＡＳＥ测活分析表明,本方法可用于粗酶液及部分纯化酶液的２′,５′－ＯＡＳＥ活性测定,并可用于临床生化分析     

Analogs of the Antituberculous Agent Pyrazinamide Are Competitive Inhibitors of NADPH Binding to M. tuberculosis Fatty Acid Synthase I

Analogs of pyrazinamide (=pyrazine‐2‐carboxamide; PZA), an essential component of short‐course antituberculous chemotherapy, such as 5‐chloropyrazinamide (5‐Cl‐PZA) act as competitive inhibitors of NADPH binding to purified mycobacterial fatty acid synthase I (FAS I) as shown by Saturation Transfer Difference (STD) NMR studies. In addition, pyrazinoic acid esters (POE) and 5‐Cl‐POE reversibly bind to FAS I with the relatively greater affinity of longer‐chain esters for FAS I, clear from the STD amplification factors. The competitive binding of PZA and 5‐Cl‐PZA clearly illustrates that both agents bind FAS. In contrast to PZA, at low NADPH concentrations 5‐Cl‐PZA is a cooperative inhibitor of NADPH binding.     

In vivo binding of 2,3,6,2′,3′,6′-hexachlorobiphenyl and 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl to mouse liver macromolecules

The role of metabolic activation in the binding of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to cellular macromolecules was investigated in vivo by comparing the relative binding of 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-[U-¹⁴C]hexachlorobiphenyl (2,4,5), a slowly metabolized PCB, with that of 2,3,6,2′,3′,6′-[U-¹⁴C]hexachlorobiphenyl (2,3,6), a rapidly metabolized PCB, and the appropriate controls. Each hexachlorobiphenyl was administered to mice, orally for 5 days (7.28 mg/kg/day). Following the dosing schedule, animals were killed at 1, 5 and 8 days. The concentration of each PCB was determined in liver, muscle and kidney and in purified macromolecules isolated from those tissues. The concentration of 2,4,5 was consistently higher than the concentration of 2,3,6 in all tissues studied. However, the amount of 2,3,6 bound to the purified macromolecules was consistently at least one order of magnitude greater than that of 2,4,5. The greatest binding was observed in RNA followed by protein and DNA, respectively. The purity of the macromolecules and the presence of PCB-derived radioactivity at the monomer level were confirmed. This is the first report of ¹⁴C-labeled PCB being bound to purified RNA, DNA, and proteins isolated from the tissues of animals treated in vivo. The binding is thought to be covalent and to be the result of metabolic activation.     

Induction of different species of cytochrome P-450 by coplanar and noncoplanar isomers of hexachlorobiphenyl

The effects of coplanar⁺ 3,4,5,3′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB) and noncoplanar 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-HCB, 2,3,5,2′,3′,5′-HCB, phenobarbitone (PB) and 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) on drug metabolizing enzymes have been studied 72 hr after dosing in male rat liver. 3-MC and 3,4,5,3′,4′,5′-HCB induced the activity of ethoxyresorufin deethylase dramatically. NADPH cytochrome P-450 reductase and benzphetamine $\text{N}$-demethylase were induced by PB and noncoplanar isomers and not by 3-MC or 3,4,5,3′,4′,5′-HCB. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the microsomes obtained from various groups showed that 3-MC and 3,4,5,3′,4′,5′-HCB induced the synthesis of a polypeptide of approximate 54,500 daltons which was absent in the microsomes obtained from control, PB or noncoplanar isomer treated animals. Noncoplanar isomers and PB induced the synthesis of a polypeptide of approximate 51,000 daltons. These results, along with the reduced, CO difference spectra, demonstrate that 3,4,5,3′,4′,5′-HCB induces the synthesis of cytochrome P-448 and resembled 3-MC in its mechanism of action, while noncoplanar isomers induced the synthesis of cytochrome P-450 and resembled PB in its mechanism of action. Further administration of various doses of 3,4,5,3′,4′,5′-HCB to genetically responsive mice (C57BL/6J), induced cytochrome P-450, caused one nm shift in the difference spectrum of reduced microsomes and induced the activity of ethoxyresorufin deethylase, whereas it did not induce the activity of ethoxyresorufin deethylase in non-responsive mice (DBA/2J) even at the highest dose studied. These studies indicate the fact that coplanar and noncoplanar isomers have differential interaction with $\text{Ah locus}$.     

Pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Purification by affinity chromatography and physicochemical properties

Pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was purified 150-fold by affinity chromatography on immobilized 2′-AMP. The binding of the enzyme is pH dependent. Elution was achieved with 2′-AMP, NADP⁺, or NADPH but not with 5′-AMP, NAD⁺, or NADH. The enzyme preparations appeared to be homogeneous in gel chromatography and ultracentrifugation, but only if these procedures were carried out in the presence of 2′-AMP or NADP⁺. With 2′-AMP a sedimentation coefficient of 34 S, a molecular weight of 1.6–1.7 million, and a Stokes' radius of 11.7 nm were determined. In the presence of NADP⁺ the sedimentation coefficient was 42 S and the molecular weight was 6.4 million. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed one kind of subunit with a molecular weight of 54,000. This was consistent with results from amino acid analyses and paper chromatography of peptides. Eight molar urea inactivated the enzyme but did not dissociate it into subunits. Full activity was restored after dialysis against urea-free buffer by mercaptoethanol and flavin-adenine dinucleotide.     

NADPH dependent activation of microsomal glutathione transferase 1

Microsomal glutathione transferase 1 (MGST1) can become activated up to 30-fold by several mechanisms in vitro (e.g. covalent modification by reactive electrophiles such as N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)). Activation has also been observed in vivo during oxidative stress. It has been noted that an NADPH generating system (g.s.) can activate MGST1 (up to 2-fold) in microsomal incubations, but the mechanism was unclear. We show here that NADPH g.s treatment impaired N-ethylmaleimide activation, indicating a shared target (identified as cysteine-49 in the latter case). Furthermore, NADPH activation was prevented by sulfhydryl compounds (glutathione and dithiothreitol). A well established candidate for activation would be oxidative stress, however we could exclude that oxidation mediated by cytochrome P450 2E1 (or flavine monooxygenase) was responsible for activation under a defined set of experimental conditions since superoxide or hydrogen peroxide alone did not activate the enzyme (in microsomes prepared by our routine procedure). Actually, the ability of MGST1 to become activated by hydrogen peroxide is critically dependent on the microsome preparation method (which influences hydrogen peroxide decomposition rate as shown here), explaining variable results in the literature. NADPH g.s. dependent activation of MGST1 could instead be explained, at least partly, by a direct effect observed also with purified enzyme (up to 1.4-fold activation). This activation was inhibited by sulfhydryl compounds and thus displays the same characteristics as that of the microsomal system. Whereas NADPH, and also ATP, activated purified MGST1, several nucleotide analogues did not, demonstrating specificity. It is thus an intriguing possibility that MGST1 function could be modulated by ligands (as well as reactive oxygen species) during oxidative stress when sulfhydryls are depleted.     

Presence of cytochrome b-245 in NADPH oxidase preparations from human neutrophils

The composition of NADPH oxidase purified by Red Sepharose chromatography of extracts from human neutrophil membranes was investigated. In contrast to that was recently reported by others, the enzyme isolated according to this procedure contained a high concentration of cytochrome b-245 and little FAD. The results reinforce the belief that cytochrome b-245 is a major component of the NADPH oxidase and plays a fundamental role in the formation of O2-by neutrophils.     

Purification and Some Properties of Adenosine (Phosphate) Deaminase from the Liver of the Squid Todarodes pacificus

An enzyme that catalyzed the deamination of adenosine 3′-phenylphosphonate was purified from squid liver to homogeneity as judged by SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 60,000 by SDS-PAGE and 140,000 by Sephadex G-150 gel filtration. The enzyme deaminated adenosine, 2′-deoxyadenosine, 3′-AMP, and 2′,3′-cyclic AMP, but not adenine, 5′-AMP, 3′,5′-cyclic AMP, ADP, or ATP. The apparent K_m and V_max at pH 4.0 for these substrates were comparable (0.11-0.34mM and 179-295 μmol min^?1 mg^?1, respectively). The enzyme had maximum activity at pH 3.5-4.0 for adenosine 3′-phenylphosphonate, at pH 5.5 for adenosine and 2′-deoxyadenosine, and at pH 4.0 for 2′,3′-cyclic AMP and 3′-AMP when the compounds were at concentration of 0.1 mM. The K_m at 4.0 and 5.5 for each substrate varied, but the Vmax were invariant. These results indicated that the squid enzyme was a novel adenosine (phosphate) deaminase with a unique substrate specificity.     

Glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase is posttranslationally regulated in the larvae of the freeze‐tolerant gall fly,Eurosta solidaginis,in response to freezing

The freeze‐tolerant larvae of the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) undergo substantial alterations to their molecular physiology during the winter including the production of elevated quantities of glycerol and sorbitol, which function as cryoprotectants to survive whole body freezing. Production of these cryoprotectants depends on cytosolic pools of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate H (NADPH), a major source being the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) mediates the rate‐limiting and committed step of the PPP and therefore its molecular properties were explored in larvae sampled from control versus frozen states. G6PDH was purified from control (5°C) and frozen (?15°C) E. solidaginis larvae by a single‐step chromatography method utilizing 2′,5′‐ADP agarose and analyzed to determine its enzymatic parameters. Studies revealed a decrease in K_m for G6P in the frozen animals (to 50% of control values) suggesting an increased flux through the PPP. Immunoblotting of the purified enzyme showed differences in the relative extent of several posttranslational modifications, notably ubiquitination (95% decrease in frozen larvae), cysteine nitrosylation (61% decrease), threonine (4.1 fold increase), and serine phosphorylation (59% decrease). Together these data suggested that the increased flux through the PPP needed to generate NADPH for cryoprotectants synthesis is regulated, at least in part, through posttranslational alterations of G6PDH.     

Complement-dependent NADPH oxidase enzyme activation in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

NADPH oxidase plays a central role in mediating oxidative stress during heart, liver, and lung ischemia/reperfusion injury, but limited information is available about NADPH oxidase in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Our aim was to investigate the activation of NADPH oxidase in a swine model of renal ischemia/reperfusion damage. We induced renal ischemia/reperfusion in 10 pigs, treating 5 of them with human recombinant C1 inhibitor, and we collected kidney biopsies before ischemia and 15, 30, and 60 min after reperfusion. Ischemia/reperfusion induced a significant increase in NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX-4) expression at the tubular level, an upregulation of NOX-2 expression in infiltrating monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells, and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine synthesis along with a marked upregulation of NADPH-dependent superoxide generation. This burden of oxidative stress was associated with an increase in tubular and interstitial expression of the myofibroblast marker α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Interestingly, NOX-4 and NOX-2 expression and the overall NADPH oxidase activity as well as α-SMA expression and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine synthesis were strongly reduced in C1-inhibitor-treated animals. In vitro, when we incubated tubular cells with the anaphylotoxin C3a, we observed an enhanced NADPH oxidase activity and α-SMA protein expression, which were both abolished by NOX-4 silencing. In conclusion, our findings suggest that NADPH oxidase is activated during ischemia/reperfusion in a complement-dependent manner and may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of progressive renal damage in this setting.     

Interaction of NADPH and triazine dyes with ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase

The ability of NADPH to compete for binding with other ligands of known affinity has been used to provide values for the Kd of NADPH with ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase (EC 1.18.1.2) (FNR). When the competing ligand is procion red, which binds with a red-shift in spectrum, or Woodwards reagent K(N-ethyl-5-phenylisoxazolium 3'-sulfonate), which covalently modifies an active site carboxyl residue, the calculated Kd for the NADPH-FNR complex is greater than 8 or 0.08 mM, respectively. Because of the feeble (or non-existent) ability of NADPH to dislodge procion red, we propose that this dye and NADPH are not binding at the same site. Procion red must, however, bind additionally at the active site (presumably without spectral perturbation) as it is a competitive inhibitor of NADPH in ferricyanide reduction assays and more crucially proves to be a novel substrate itself, being reduced to a leuco form which can be reoxidised by oxygen. Although a Kd for the NADPH-FNR complex of 0.08 mM is reasonable, we point out the difficulty of interpreting this value and question its physiological significance.     

Urea denaturation of bovine serum albumin at pH 9

The action of 5 m urea on bovine serum albumin has been studied at pH 9.0 and 25°C. Analysis by the acrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a few components 1, 1′, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The components 1 and 1′ are monomers, component 2 is a dimer, and components 3, 4 and 5 are aggregates. In presence of SH blocking reagent, bovine serum albumin gave only the zone 1, indicating that the components 1′-5 were formed by the SH to S-S exchange reactions. Component 1′ was formed by the intramolecular SH to S-S exchange reaction, and components 2–5 were formed by the intermolecular exchange reaction. Addition of cysteine either to bovine serum albumin or to the SH-blocked bovine serum albumin increased the percent of zone 1′, indicating that a complex bovine serum albumin-cysteine was formed or that the SH-catalyzed structural alteration occurred in bovine serum albumin. Components 1, 1′, 2 and 3 were isolated separately by the preparative disc gel electrophoresis. The sedimentation coefficients 1 and 1′ differed slightly indicating that they were different monomers, and values were slightly smaller than the normal value of bovine serum albumin, indicating that these components were in slightly expanded state. Isolated component 1 was exposed to 5 m urea again, but no further change occurred. This supports the concept of microheterogeneity of bovine serum albumin.     

Characterization of multiple active forms of the NADPH dehydrogenase component of the oxidase complex from rabbit peritoneal neutrophils by photolabeling with an arylazido derivative of NADP+

A NADPH cytochrome c oxidoreductase purified from membranes of rabbit peritoneal neutrophil was shown to behave as the NADPH dehydrogenase component of the O2- generating oxidase complex. A photoactivable derivative of NADP+, azido nitrophenyl-gamma-aminobutyryl NADP+ (NAP4-NADP+), was synthesized in its labeled [3H] form and used to photolabel the NADPH cytochrome c reductase at different stages of the purification procedure. Control assays performed in dim light indicated that the reduced form of NADP4-NADP+ generated by reduction with glucose-6-phosphate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was oxidized at virtually the same rate as NADPH. Upon photoirradiation of the purified reductase in the presence of [3H]NAP4-NADP+ and subsequent separation of the photolabeled species by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, radioactivity was found to be present predominantly in a protein band with a molecular mass of 77-kDa and accessorily in bands of 67-kDa and 57-kDa. Evidence is provided that the 67-kDa and 57-kDa proteins arose from the 77-kDa protein by proteolysis. Despite removal of part of the sequence, the proteolyzed proteins were still active in catalyzing electron transport from NADPH to cytochrome c and in binding the photoactivable derivative of NADP+.     

血红素加氧酶系的共固定化及部分性质研究

为了检测血红素加氧酶系分子间的相互作用和共固定化酶系的反应动力学,利用２′,５′－ＡＤＰ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ４Ｂ柱对血红素加氧酶、ＮＡＤＰＨ－细胞色素ｃ还原酶和胆绿素还原酶进行非膜重组,再以纤维素为载体,用重氮化法固定此重组的酶复合物和共固定非重组的３种酶,发现固定化的重组酶系比非重组酶系能更好地发挥协同作用,在室温条件下可催化血红素一步合成胆红素．共固定化酶的最适ｐＨ为７．２,最适温度为３８℃,Ｋｍ值为０．９３μｍｏｌ／Ｌ．巯基试剂和金属卟淋对固定化酶有抑制作用,共固定化酶比游离酶系稳定性提高,３８℃下的操作半寿期可延长至４２０ｈ,在０～４℃保存两个月其酶活力无明显变化．     

Activation and inactivation of thyroxine by cultured rat hepatoma cells

The metabolism of thyroxine, 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine and 3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine was investigated in rat hepatoma cell cultures (R117-21B). These iodothyronines were labeled with ¹²⁵I in the phenolic ring and the metabolites were analyzed by ion-exchange column chromatography.When thyroxine was incubated with the cells at 37°C, its glucuronide was the major product and a little increase in ¹²⁵I^? was detected. Although 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine was not observed in the incubation medium, this metabolite was clearly identified in the ethanol extract obtained from the cell homogenates after 24 h incubation.This cell line also metabolized labeled 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine added to culture medium. After 24 h incubation, 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine glucuronide was the major metabolite and iodothyronine sulfates were also formed. The sulfates contained, 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine and 3,3′-diiodothyronine sulfates and an unknown component.In the metabolism of 3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine, the cells were very active in carrying out glucuronidation and phenolic ring deiodination, and this metabolism yielded 3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine and 3,3′-diiodothyronine glucuronides. The iodide fraction contained a small amount of 3,3′-diiodothyronine sulfate.These results show that the R117-21B rat hepatoma cells metabolize the thyroid hormones and their analogs by phenolic and nonphenolic ring deiodinations, by glucuronidation and by sulfation.     

Purification and immunological studies of glutathione reductase from rat liver evidence for an antigenic determinant at the nucleotide-binding domain of the enzyme

Glutathione reductase has been purified to homogeneity by a method which is an improvement of an earlier procedure (Carlberg, I. and Mannervik, B. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 5475–5480). The new steps in the purification scheme include affinity chromatography on 2′,5′ ADP-Sepharose 4B. Antibodies to glutathione reductase from rat liver were raised in rabbits and used for analysis of the enzyme by quantitative ‘rocket’ immunoelectrophoresis. Glutathione reductase from human erythrocytes, porcine erythrocytes, and calf-liver gave precipitin lines showing partial identity with the rat liver enzyme in Ouchterlony double diffusion experiments. Enzyme from spinach, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum did not give precipitates with the antibodies to the enzyme from rat liver. Titration of glutathione reductase from the different sources with antibodies confirmed the cross-reactivity of the mammalian enzymes; the human enzyme giving the strongest heterologous reaction. No reaction was observed with the enzyme from spinach, yeast, and Rhodospirillum rubrum. NADPH, NADP⁺, and 2′,5′ ADP were found to inhibit the interaction between antibodies and glutathione reductase from rat liver and human erythrocytes. NADH, glutathione, or glutathione disulfide did not protect the enzyme from reacting with the antibodies. It is concluded that glutathione reductase has an antigenic binding site for the antibodies at the pyridine nucleotide-binding site of the enzyme molecule.