Induction of liver microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase in the rat administered with a plant phenol, eugenol.

UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity toward xenobiotics in rat liver microsomes was increased about 2.6-fold by administration of a eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol). Km value of the induced enzyme toward UDP-glucuronic acid, however, did not change. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that the amount of UDP-glucuronyltransferase protein was increased in the microsomes of eugenol-treated rat liver. In vitro translation assay showed that the level of translatable mRNA encoding this enzyme increased in the liver. These results indicate that mRNA specific for production of UDP-glucuronyltransferase has accumulated, presumably by de novo synthesis in response to a plant phenol, eugenol.