Decreased incorporation of 14C-leucine in different liver nuclear protein fractions at early stages of carbon tetrachloride poisoning in the rat.

Administration of CCl4 to 12-14 h starved Sprague Dawley male rats (220-240 g) at a dose of 5 ml of a 20% (v/v) olive oil solution/kg i.p. decreased the incorporation of 14C-leucine into microsomal and nuclear proteins at 1 or 2 h after the hepatotoxin. Decreased amino acid incorporation capacity in nuclear but not in microsomal proteins returned to control values at 4 h after poisoning. Cycloheximide given i.p. at a dose of 1 mg/kg in saline either alone or before CCl4 also decreased to a similar or greater extent the incorporation of 14C-leucine into both, microsomal and nuclear proteins at 1 h. The CCl4-induced decrease in amino acid incorporation was observable and significant even 1 h after CCl4 and involved histone and different non-histone nuclear protein fractions. Results suggest that decreased protein synthesis at the endoplasmic reticulum occurring in the very early stages of CCl4 poisoning might provoke temporary deficiencies in protein supplies to nuclei with as yet unknown consequences. However, some of the proteins involved have major regulatory properties in DNA expression.