Biochemical Effects of Three Carcinogenic Chlorinated Methances in Rat Liver

摘要

Three chlorinated methanes, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and methylene chloride known to cause liver tumors in rodents, were given by oral gavage to adult female rats both 21 and 4 hours before sacrifice. Then hepatic DNA damage, ornithine decarboxylase, cytochrome P-450, glutathione content and serum alanine aminotransferase activity assays were performed. Carbon tetrachloride increased rat hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity and decreased cytochrome P-450 content at doses both below and above cytotoxicity (as measured by increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity). At 54 and 160 mg/kg, chloroform increased hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity with minimal or no elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase activity. After oral administration of 480 mg/kg of chloroform, hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity, serum alanine aminotransferase activity and hepatic DNA damage were increased while hepatic cytochrome P-450 content was decreased. The results with methylene chloride varied between replicates done on three different days. (Copyright (c) 1989 Alan R. Liss, Inc.)