Glutathione transferase as markers for allograft rejection in liver and kidney transplantation

摘要

The glutathione transferases (GSTs) are a family of multifunctional proteins that catalyze glutathione conjugation to electrophilic compounds. Many forms of cytosolic GSTs have been grouped into five classes: alpha, mu, pi, 6, and a. Each organ possesses a unique profile of GST forms, and major forms of the liver are GSTs Al-1, Al-2, and A2-2 of the alpha class. These forms are also expressed in the kidney The n form is expressed in the kidney and other organs, including eryth-rocytes, but not in the adult liver. Glucocorticoid hormone suppresses the expression of n forms in primary cultured hepatocytes. The n form is suggested to function as a group of sensors for oxida-tive stress and to regulate stress response by modulating c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity. Increase in serum a GST level is a more sensitive and specific marker for acute cellular rejection in liver transplantation than equivalent increases in transaminase activities. The wide hepatic distribution, high cytosolic concentration, and short in vivo half-life of serum a GST are properties which may make monitoring this enzyme more clinically useful than conventional liver function tests. Urinary pi form has been suggested to be useful to monitor the function of transplanted kidney.