Abstract

The activity of rhodanese, cystathionase and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST), participating in L-cysteine desulfuration, and the level of sulfane sulfur, a product of the process, were determined in murine peritoneal macrophages, bone marrow derived dendritic cells, lymph node lymphocytes, and in macrophage type cell line - J774. Among all the investigated cells, the highest value of MPST activity was detected in the lymphocytes, what - together with the estimated high level of sulfane sulfur-containing compounds - may correlate with the high rate of DNA synthesis and proliferation, characteristic of these cells. Dendritic cells, in turn, showed the highest cystathionase activity and a relatively high MPST and rhodanese activity, but, surprisingly, sulfane sulfur was not detected. It would be interesting to explain whether these antigen presenting dendritic cells release sulfane sulfur-containing compounds to stimulate lymphocyte proliferation. In peritoneal macrophages, a relatively high activity of MPST and rhodanese and a high level of sulfane sulfur compounds may provide the protection against reactive oxygen species produced after their activation. It was also observed that mouse macrophage cell line presented a significantly lower activity of MPST and rhodanese and a lower level of sulfane sulfur in comparison to mouse peritoneal macrophages. lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells