Lipid peroxidation in liver and colon of methylazoxymethanol treated rats.

Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected via the tail vein with methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate at a dose of 70 mg/kg body weight. Measurements of lipid peroxidation were carried out on mitochondrial and microsomal fractions of liver and colonic mucosa at various intervals over the first 24 h following delivery of the carcinogen. Significantly increased levels of peroxidation were observed 3-6 h after treatment in microsomal and mitochondrial fractions of both these tissues. A return to control levels was seen by the end of the first day. These results are discussed in relation to the role of lipid peroxidation in carcinogenesis and the proposed mechanism of tumor prevention by selenium.