Effects of intermittent exposures of aflatoxin B1 on hepatic and testicular glutathione S‐transferase in rats

Abstract

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) plays a major role in the detoxification of the potent hepatocarcinogen aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ). This study evaluated the effects of intermittent exposures to AFB 1 on hepatic and testicular GST in rats. Male Fischer 344 rats were fed diets containing AFB 1 (0, 0.01, 0.04, 0.4 and 1.6 ppm) intermittently at 4-week intervals up to 20 weeks. The control animals were fed an AFB 1 -free NIH-31 diet. Rats consuming diets with 0.01 ppm AFB 1 did not show the induction of hepatic or testicular GST activity. Intermittent exposures to AFB 1 at concentrations of 0.04-1.6 ppm significantly increased the GST activities. The increase of the enzyme activity was proportional to the dose and length of AFB 1 exposure.