MITOCHONDRIAL LIPID PEROXIDES AND ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES IN THE LIVER FOLLOWING PHORONE-INDUCED GLUTATHIONE DEPLETION

The levels of lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde = MDA) vitam in C and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) dismutase ( SOD) were determined in the liver and its mitochondrial fraction, in t he rats 2 and 18 hr after the injection of phorone, a glutathione (GSH ) depleting agent. GSH levels decreased in liver homogenate and its mi tochondrial fraction after 2 hr of phorone treatment, but these values returned to normal levels at 18 hr. In GSH depleted conditions, hepat ic vitamin C levels increased, GSH-Px and SOD activities remained unch anged in mitochondrial and post-mitochondrial fractions. These results indicate that GSH depletion per se does not influence lipid peroxidat ion and GSH-Px and SOD activities in the liver and the mitochondrial f raction.