Studies on the formation of lipid peroxides and on some enzymic activities in the liver of vitamin E-deficient rats.

Rats were fed a 5 or 20% casein diet that causes liver necrosis unless supplemented with vitamin E or selenite. The following activities were studied in liver subcellar fractions: enzymic formation of lipid peroxides, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, oxidative demethylation of aminopyrine, and incorporation of [14C]leucine into protein (with microsomes); xanthine oxidase (with soluble supernatant); and RNA polymerases I and II (with nuclei). Formation of lipid peroxides was higher in rats fed diets without vitamin E and was not reduced significantly by dietary selenite. The activity of xanthine oxidase was higher in animals fed the 20% casein than in those fed the 5% casein diet; however, a higher activity was observed in the rats fed the latter diet without vitamin E or selenite than in those receiving these supplements. The activity of RNA polymerase I was higher in rats fed the low casein diet. Other activities examined were not affected significantly by the level of dietary casein or by vitamin E or selenits.