The response of liver lipid peroxidative and antioxidant defense systems of protein undernourished rats to liver regeneration

The response of liver lipid peroxidative and antioxidant defense system of protein undernourished rats to liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy was examined in rats. Animals were divided into four groups; A,B,C and D of four animals each. Animals in group A were maintained on 16% casein diet while those in groups B, C and D were placed on low-protein diet (5% casein) for fourteen weeks and fed ad libitum. 72 hours before sacrifice, partial hepatectomy was carried out on animals in group D while animals in group C were sham-operated. The results show that protein undernutrition induced an increase in lipid peroxidation but reduced catalase activity, glutathione level and superoxide dismutase activity when compared with well-nourished rats. Liver regeneration however, resulted in significant increases in lipid peroxidation and catalase activity but significant reductions in glutathione level and superoxide dismutase activity in protein undernutrition rats when compared with their sham-operated counterparts. These results suggest that liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy exacerbates lipid peroxidation in protein undernutrition rats and that Catalase plays a major role in the mopping up of reactive oxygen species generated following liver regeneration in partially hepatectomised protein undernutrition rats.