The effect of oxidized glutathione and its pharmacological analogue, glutoxim, on intracellular Ca2+ concentration in macrophages

The effect of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and its pharmacological analogue, glutoxim, on intracellular Ca2+ concentration in rat peritoneal macrophages was investigated using Fura-2AM microfluorimetry. It was shown that both GSSG and glutoxim increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration inducing Ca(2+)-mobilization from thapsigargin-sensitive Ca(2+)-stores and subsequent Ca2+ entry into macrophages from external medium. Dithiothreitol, which reduces S-S-bonds in proteins, completely prevented or reversed the increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration induced by GSSG or glutoxim. It suggests that the increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration induced by GSSG or glutoxim can be mediated by their interactions with functionally important SH-groups of proteins involved in Ca(2+)-signaling. Two structurally different tyrosine kinase inhibitors, genistein and methyl-2,5-dihydroxycinnamate, prevented or completely reversed the increase in the intracellular Ca(2+)-concentration induced by GSSG or glutoxim. On the contrary, tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, Na orthovanadate, enhanced the increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration evoked by oxidizing agents. The data suggest that tyrosine kinases and tyrosine phosphatases are involved in regulatory effects of GSSG and glutoxim on the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in macrophages.