2011 Volume 36 Issue 2 Pages 231-235
Dihydropyrazine (DHP), which is formed by nonenzymatic glycation, generates various radical species that lead to DNA damage and enzyme inhibition. In this study, we examined the reaction between DHP derivatives and glutathione (GSH). DHP exposure caused more intense growth inhibition of a GSH-deficient mutant Escherichia coli strain compared with the wild-type strain. DHP-exposed mouse fibroblasts showed a decrease in the cellular GSH level. The obtained data suggested that the reaction of DHP with GSH possibly potentiates cellular stress via the depletion of cellular GSH levels.