Interplay between glutathione-S-transferase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in neonatal cord blood

Three hundred neonatal cord blood samples were collected from two major cities in Jordan and assayed for glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). A significant positive correlation between the levels of G6PD and GST activities was detected. When the G6PD activity decreased, the GST activity declined. A similar concurrent decrease in the concentration of reduced glutathione was also observed. When the samples were divided into males and female samples, some significant variations in the levels of the two enzymes were observed. Female samples exhibited higher G6PD and GST activities as compared with male samples. Moreover, the incidence of severe and moderate G6PD deficiencies was higher in male as compared with female samples. Analyses of the samples for total bilirubin, red blood cells, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were also performed, and slight nonsignificant variations were noted.