INCREASED LIPID-PEROXIDATION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN METHIONINE-INDUCED HEPATITIS IN RABBITS

The liver is especially susceptible to the toxic effects of methionine due to its role in sulfur amino rid metabolism. Therefore, the excess ive amounts of this amino acid may induce liver damage, To test the me chanisms of methionine related hepatotoxicity, liver thiobarbituric ac id reactive substances (TEARS), and activities of superoxide dismutase , catalase and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase were measured in rabbits fed a methionine-enriched diet for 6 or 9 mo. Morphologica l studies of livers were also made. Feeding rabbits the methionine-enr iched diet for 9 mo resulted in a significant increase in liver TEARS levels and antioxidant enzyme activities. Moreover, an inflammatory in filtration of portal triads in the treated rabbits were observed. Thes e results indicate that methionine may induce hepatitis by increasing free radical processes.