Rat strain variations in liver cytosolic DT-diaphorase activity and possible significance of the trait in carcinogenesis by azo dyes.

1. Strain variations among female rats in terms of cytosolic DT-diaphorase activity were studied in liver, heart and glandular stomach tissues with or without administration of 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA). 2. BHA induced liver DT-diaphorase activity in all strains examined, and both the basal and induced activities varied according to strain. Among the five strains tested, Brown Norway (BN) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats showed relatively high levels of enzyme activity in the liver, whereas Fischer (F344) rats showed a relatively low level of activity. Results of examination of Fischer-BN-F1 rats indicated that a lower level of liver DT-diaphorase activity was inherited essentially as a dominant trait. 3. Liver DT-diaphorase activity in male rats was significantly lower than in female rats. Small strain variations of the activity, if any, were observed in the heart and stomach cytosolic fractions with or without induction by BHA. The magnitude of induction by BHA was also small, if any, in heart and stomach cytosolic fractions. 4. From these and other observations, we discussed the differences between rats and mice in these strain and tissue variations of DT-diaphorase activity, and also the possible significance of liver DT-diaphorase activity in carcinogenesis by azo dyes.