Oxidant stress mediated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH) inhibits agonist-stimulated Ca2+ entry and internal store Ca2+ release in cultured endothelial cells. The role of intracellular glutathione in modulating the effects of oxidant stress on Ca2+ signaling was determined in cells preincubated with buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, or 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), a cosubstrate for glutathione-S-transferase. BSO and CDNB decreased endothelial cell glutathione content by 85 and 97%, respectively (control glutathione, 21.5 +/- 2.3 nmol/mg protein). Each agent accelerated the time-dependent effects of t-BOOH on Ca2+ signaling in fura 2-loaded cells and potentiated the inhibition of bradykinin-stimulated 45Ca2+ efflux induced by t-BOOH. These results indicate that decreased availability of reduced glutathione, the primary cosubstrate for glutathione peroxidase, potentiates the effect of hydroperoxide oxidant stress on receptor-operated Ca2+ entry across the plasmalemma and Ca2+ release from internal stores. The present findings suggest that intracellular glutathione availability and/or glutathione redox cycle activity are critically important modulators of oxidant inhibition of Ca(2+)-dependent signal transduction.
Cystamine-Sepharose. A probe for the active site of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase.