Effects of γ-Irradiated Pork Diet on Cytochrome P-450 System, Microsome Glucose 6-Phosphatase Activity and Antioxidative Defense Systems in Rat Hepatocarcinogenesis

This study investigated the effects of a ${\gamma}$-irradiated pork (0-30 kGy) diet on lipid peroxidation, cytochrome P-450 content, microsomal glucose 6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) activity and antioxidative defense systems in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis. The body weight of rats fed irradiated diets did not change significantly. Liver weight was significantly increased by the administration of DEN, but not by irradiated diets at any dose level. There were no significant effects of gamma irradiation on the content of microsomal malondialdehyde (MDA), cytochrome P-450, or on the activity of G-6-Pase. However, with DEN treatment, cytochrome P-450 content was significantly increased while microsomal G-6-Pase activity was significantly decreased. The ${\gamma}$-irradiated diet supplement did not affect serum retinol or $\alpha$-tocopherol concentrations. However, it did cause a significant decrease in hepatic retinol at 30 kGy. With DEN treatment, hepatic retinol content was even more significantly (p<0.05) decreased compared to the non-irradiated control. The enzyme activities related to antioxidative defense systems, including glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GSH-Rx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were not affected by gamma irradiation. Those results suggest that an irradiated pork diet up to 30 kGy may not cause a health hazard in experimental animals.