VITAMIN-E, GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE AND GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSPEPTIDASE ACTIVITIES IN CULTURED-HEPATOCYTES OF RATS TREATED WITH CARCINOGENS

1. The effects of alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocotrienol on glutathion e S-transferase(GST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (7-GT) activiti es in cultured hepatocytes prepared from rats treated with diethylnitr osamine (DEN) and 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) were investigated. 2. Bo th the alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocotrienol treated hepatocytes show ed significantly higher (P < 0.05) GST activities than untreated hepat ocytes prepared from the carcinogen treated rats in the first 3 days o f culture. Treatment with alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocotrienol gener ally resulted in a tendency to increase the GST activities above that in the untreated hepatocytes. 3. Treatment with high doses (125-250 mu M) of alpha-tocopherol and low doses (12.5-25 muM) of gamma-tocotrieno l generally resulted in a significant reduction in gamma-GT activities at 1-3 days. gamma-GT activities are reduced as the dose of alpha-toc opherol and gamma-tocotrienol are increased.