The Catalytic Activity of GSTM1 In vitro is Independent of MAPK8

Background: Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are phase II metabolic enzymes crucial for the metabolism of electrophilic drugs. Additionally, several GST isoforms are involved in protein- protein interaction with mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), modulating apoptosis pathways. Methods: To assess the potential change of enzymatic activity, we performed a GST enzyme assay with human recombinant GSTM1 in the presence and absence of MAPK8. Recently, GSTM1 has been demonstrated to interact with MAPK8 both in silico and in vitro. The binding interface predicted in silico comprised amino acid residues present on the surface of the protein and a few were deep in the active site of the protein. Results: The experiment demonstrated that the GSTM1 activity was conserved even in the presence of MAPK8 in the assay. Conclusion: The possible alteration in the activity of MAPK8 in this interaction needs to be evaluated in further experiments.