Biotransformation of nitrosobenzene in the red cell and the role of glutathione

Abstract

1. In the red cell nitrosobenzene formed glutathione-sulphinanilide from reduced glutathione, and the corresponding sulphinanilide with the reactive cysteine residues of haemoglobin.

2. Glutathionesulphinanilide was reductively cleaved by an NADPH-linked reductase with formation of free aniline half an equivalent of reduced glutathione and half of glutathione sulphinic acid.

3. About three quarters of the aniline produced from nitrosobenzene or phenylhydro-xylamine was formed via this pathway within the red cell.