Gender-related differences in expression of murine glutathione S-transferases and their induction by butylated hydroxyanisole

The basal levels of μ and π class glutathione S-transferases RNA were 18-fold higher in the male mouse liver as compared with the female. When 0.75% (w/w) BHA was included in the diet it altered the RNA levels of α, μ, π GST classes and mGSTA4-4 in a tissue and sex specific manner. The most marked induction of RNA was seen for the μ class GSTs of female liver, lung and kidney (52, 10 and 8-fold, respectively), and of male liver and kidney (25 and 3.5-fold, respectively), the π class GSTs of female liver, lung, and kidney (11, 10, and 5-fold, respectively), and mGSTA4-4 of female liver (4-fold). The effect of BHA on the induction of the μ and π class GST RNA was 2-9 fold greater in female as compared with male tissues. The degree of induction of GST RNA did not correlate directly with changes in GST protein indicating that post-transcriptional events regulating GST expression may be affected by BHA particularly for GST μ and mGSTA4-4.