Inhibition of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase decreases amino acid uptake in human keratinocytes in culture

Abstract Acivicin inhibits γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in human keratinocytes in culture. Treatment of these cells with acivicin produces a decrease in the uptake of L-[U-14C]alanine, 2-amino-[1-14C]-isobutyrate, L[U-14C]leucine and l-aminocyclopentane-l-[14C]carboxylate. D-[U-14C]glucose uptake is not affected by the presence of acivicin. These results support, for the first time in vitro, the hypothesis that the γ-glutarml cycle may be involved in amino acid uptake by human cells.