Transaminase level (GOT, GPT) in rats under treatment with diethylnitrosamine

Transaminase levels (GOT, GPT) of Sprague-Dawley-rats were not increased during long-term oral application of diethylnitrosamine (DENA) in doses of 0.1 and 3.0 mg/kg/day respectively. Only rise of the daily dose to 12.0 mg/kg/ (4% of LD50) resulted in a significant increase of enzymatic activities after 2-3 months of treatment. By the determination of transaminases the process of liver cancerization cannot be discovered. The present method is also too insensitive to indicate the formation of smaller quantities of nitroso compounds from their precursors (amines plus nitrite) in vivo.