Effects of 2(3)-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole pretreatment on cefpiramide binding to mouse glutathione S-transferases.

Binding of cefpiramide (CPM) and other beta-lactam antimicrobial agents to 2(3)-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA)-induced liver glutathione (GSH) S-transferases (EC 2.5.1.18) from CD-1 mice was studied. A marked induction of hepatic GSH S-transferase from mice fed BHA was observed. Gel chromatography of liver cytosol from mice fed BHA showed an increased binding of CPM, cefotetan and cefazolin to BHA-induced GSH S-transferases. The extent of their binding to GSH S-transferase seemed to be correlated with the extent of their excretion into the bile. Binding of CPM to the GSH S-transferase fraction was inhibited by both indocyanine green, which is known to bind liver GSH S-transferases intensively, and by cefoperazon, which is mainly excreted into the bile. This study suggests that GSH S-transferases are the main binding proteins of CPM in the liver cytosol fraction and play an important role as carrier proteins of CPM and some antimicrobial agents in mouse liver.