Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and aging modulate glutathione-related antioxidants in rat liver

The effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on the age-dependent changes in liver glutathione antioxidant system were investigated in male Wistar rats fed diets supplying either balanced amounts of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acids (control) or deficient in alpha-linolenic acid [n-3) deficient]. The animals were studied at the age of 6 or 24 mo. Glutathione antioxidative metabolism was markedly affected by aging. Cytosolic concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) was lower (P < 0.01), whereas that of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) as well as the GSSG:GSH ratio were greater (P<0.001) in the 24-mo-old as compared with the 6-mo-old rats, regardless of the diet. Glutathione peroxidase activities were lower (P < 0.001) in 24-mo-old rats, though more markedly in those fed the control diet. The lipid composition of rat liver microsomal membranes was strongly modified by both diet and aging. The age-related changes mainly involved the polyunsaturated fatty acids. These results suggest that the nature of dietary PUFA and not only their degree of unsaturation affects the cellular glutathione-dependent antioxidant system and thus may modify the age-related changes in metabolic reactions.