Effects of sodium arsenite on glutathione S-transferase and its genes expression in mice

Objective To explore glutathione S-transferase(GST) activities and its genes expression.Methods Subchronic toxicity experiment was applied.The mice were randomly separated into four groups of 40 mice,including control group(C),low dose arsenic poisoning group(L),middle dose arsenic poisoning group(M),and high dose arsenic poisoning group(H).Mice of control group were fed with distilled water.Mice in group L,group M and group H were fed with water which were dissolved with sodium arsenic at the concentrations of 0.125 mg/kg,0.5 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg,respectively.The mice organism glutathione S-transferase(GST) activities in liver and kidney were determined by kits individually.Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used to determine the GSTO1 mRNA expression.Results Compared with control group,the GST activities were higher in middle and high arsenic groups in liver and kidney(P0.01).Compared with control group,GSTO1 gene were up regulated in middle and high arsenic groups in liver and kidney(P0.05~0.01).Conclusion Exposured to arsenite in drinking water 90 d,the different doses sodium arsenite can increase the GST activities in liver and kidney of mouse,GSTO1 mRNA expression displays the same trendency with the changes of GST activities.It indicates the effects of sodium arsenite on GST activities are related with GSTO1 mRNA expression.