Thiol modification in kidney: Implications for radioprotection

Kidney radiosensitivity is frequently a dose-limiting factor when planning abdominal radiation therapy. In addition to its clinical importance, the kidney has unusual transport and metabolic activity such as high gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (Meister Methods in Enzymol, vol. 113, pg. 571-585, 1985), making it an ideal organ to study thiol modification. Although glutahione has been most extensively investigated, attention to other thiols may be also be of interest, since some thiols may be more effective as radioprotectors. Glutathione, glutathione ester, and cysteine concentrations in the kidney can be modified. The authors believe is cysteine is an attractive agent for kidney radioprotection. The data is used in conjunction with results from radiochemical studies with model systems to design strategies for kidney radioprotection