Methemoglobin oxidation of N-acetylbenzidine to form a sulfinamide

T V Zenser1, V M Lakshmi, F F Hsu

  • 1Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Division of Geriatric Medicine, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. zensertv@slu.edu

Summary

Methemoglobin catalyzes the peroxidatic formation of N-acetylbenzidine (ABZ) sulfinamide adducts, a novel biomarker for aromatic amine exposure. This reaction involves glutathione and is inhibited by various agents, suggesting a specific metabolic pathway.

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