Effects of low dietary protein and dietary aflatoxin on hepatic glutathione levels in F-344 rats

Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of low dietary protein and dietary aflatoxin (AFB 1) on hepatic glutathione (GSH) levels, groups of male and female F-344 (60–100 g) rats were fed 5 and 20% casein diets with/without 2.5–5 ppm AFB 1 for 6 weeks. Animals were sacrificed at selected times between 0 hr to 6 weeks, and GSH contents were determined in liver homogenates. Whereas in males, low protein diets caused a marked retardation in growth, females grew equally well on both protein diets. Low protein diets caused a reduction in hepatic GSH within hours of feeding which remained low for the duration of the study. Dietary AFB 1 increased hepatic GSH regardless of dietary protein level and animal sex. Histologic examinations revealed that AFB 1 caused more acute lesions in males although lesions in both sexes were much more pronounced in the high protein groups. It should be noted that no simple relationship between GSH levels and protection against hepatic lesions was observed.