Exogenous glutathione protects intestinal epithelial cells from oxidative injury.

Exogenous GSH provided rat small-intestinal epithelial cells with significant protection against injury induced by t-butyl hydroperoxide or menadione. This protection was found to be dependent upon uptake of intact GSH. Uptake of GSH occurred by a Na+-dependent electrogenic system found in the basolateral membrane. Thus, rat small-intestinal epithelial cells can utilize plasma GSH to support intracellular detoxication systems that function in protection against chemically induced injury.