ABSTRACT
To determine the protective effects of a fungal metabolite of demethoxyviridine [DMV] and its derivative, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV in the livers of 2-month-old male Spraque-Dawley rats treated with diethylnitrosamine [DEN] and 2-acetylaminflourene [2-AAF]. This study was performed in the Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey from May 2006. Animals were divided into 10 groups. Those were the control, olive oil, dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], DMV, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, DEN, 2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF+DMV, and DEN+2-AAF+1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV-treated animal groups. The liver microsomes were prepared from rats and the levels of expression of cytochrome P450 1A2 [CYP1A2] enzymes were determined with western blot technique. The liver tissue slides were evaluated histopathologically with hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemically for Harvey-retrovirus associated DNA sequences [Ha-Ras], glutathione S- transferase [GST-p], and connexion-32 [Cx32] proteins. Notably, there were no appreciable differences in CYP1A2 level among control, olive oil, and DMSO-treated animals. The CYP1A2 level was significantly decreased in 2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF, DEN, DEN+2-AAF+DMV, DEN+2-AAF+1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, and DMV-treated animals as compared to the control. Most prenoplastic focus was found in DEN+2-AAF treated group. Demethoxyviridine and 1-alpha-hidroksi-DMV had protective effect in the livers of DEN, 2-AAF and DEN+2-AAF induced rats