Effect of butylated hydroxytoluene on glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase activities in rat liver

When rats were fed a diet containing 0.4% (w/w) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), glutathione (GSH) S-transferase activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) increased approximately 3-fold in the liver. Immunotitration studies using the antibodies raised against rat liver GSH S-transferase B and GSH S-transferase A and C indicated that the increase in GSH S-transferase activity was probably due to de novo protein synthesis. Since some forms of rat liver GSH S-transferases express GSH peroxidase II activity, a concomitant increase in GSH peroxidase II was expected. However, GSH peroxidase II activity in the liver of BHT-treated rats remained unchanged. Gel filtration of supernatant fractions from livers of control and BHT-treated rats, followed by isoelectric focusing, indicated that BHT induced the activity of hepatic GSH S-transferases, without any apparent effect on GSH peroxidase II activity.