[Changes in protein, lipid composition, DNA- and RNA- polymerase activity of the chromatin fraction and the nuclear matrix of the rat liver in hypovitaminosis E]

Abstract

E-hypovitaminosis-induced antioxidant deficiency in rats causes changes in some properties of nuclear structures of the liver cells, i.e. fractions of transcriptionally active and repressed chromatin and nuclear matrix. Changes are found in the protein spectrum of the fraction of transcriptionally active chromatin and nuclear matrix. Lipids of transcriptionally active and repressed chromatin fractions may be peroxidated when this process is stimulated in the NADPH- and ascorbate-dependent systems. In antioxidant deficiency these processes are intensified in the fractions of repressed chromatin. E-hypovitaminosis leads to changes in the fatty acid spectrum of chromatin fractions which correlated with the shifts in the process of lipid peroxidation. Antioxidant deficiency produces changes in the activities of endogenous DNA- and RNA-polymerases in chromatin fractions and in the nuclear matrix. In the fraction of the transcriptionally active liver chromatin of E-deficient animals the endogenous total DNA-polymerase activity and the activity of DNA-polymerases alpha and beta decrease, while in the fractions of repressed chromatin the total RNA-polymerase activity increases. In E-hypovitaminosis the endogenous DNA- and RNA-polymerase activities in the nuclear matrix decrease. Addition of alpha-tocopherol to the preparations of the isolated nuclear matrix results in an increase of the DNA- and RNA-polymerase activities which is more vivid in preparations made of the E-hypovitaminous animal liver.