Rapid lipid peroxidation in the nuclear fraction of rat liver induced by a diet deficient in choline and methionine.

A diet deficient in choline and methionine, known to produce hepatocellular carcinoma in the absence of any added chemical carcinogen, induced lipid peroxidation in the nuclear fraction of the liver when fed to male Fischer 344 rats. This lipid peroxidation was detected within 1 day of feeding the diet by the appearance of diene conjugates and increased progressively up to 3 days. It was prevented completely by the addition of choline chloride to the diet. The close proximity of DNA may make it a possible target for attack by free radicals.