ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>[corrected] To investigate the role of glutathione (GSH) and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS) in lupus nephritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Spectrophotometry was used to measure the oxidative/anti-oxidative indices including malonyldialdehyed (MDA) and GSH in the kidney of MRL/lpr lupus mice. Quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to detected the expression of γ-GCS.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The level of GSH was lowered whereas the level of MDA increased significantly in the kidney tissue of MRL/lpr lupus mice as compared with that in normal control mice. The expression of γ-GCS mRNA and protein was significantly decreased in MRL/lpr lupus mice (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MRL/lpr lupus mice have abnormal oxidative stress in the kidney tissue, where the expression of γ-GCS decreased to lead to reduced GSH production, damaged antioxidative capacity, and eventually exacerbation of oxidative damage in the kidney.</p>