Effects of dietary butylated hydroxytoluene and phenobarbital on the activities of ornithine decarboxylase and thymidine kinase in rat liver and lung.

Rats were entrained to a 12 h dark/12 h light cycle with food (60% protein +/- 0.5% butylated hydroxytoluene or 0.05% phenobarbital) available only during the first 2 h of the dark period. Under these conditions liver ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in control animals displayed a characteristic diurnal oscillation. In livers of rats fed butylated hydroxytoluene or phenobarbital ODC activity was not increased whereas thymidine kinase (TK) activity was stimulated 4--10 fold at 3 days. In lungs from the same animals ODC and TK activities were unchanged. In rats fed butylated hydroxytoluene for 3 days [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was increased in liver but decreased in lung.