The induction of specific rat liver glutathione S-transferase subunits under inadequate selenium nutrition causes an increase in prostaglandin F2 alpha formation.
We have reported previously that a dietary deficiency in selenium results in an increase in glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity of various rat tissues. In order to verify that the increased GST activity observed in a selenium deficiency results from increased synthesis of GST protein, cytosolic fractions of livers obtained from rats fed selenium-deficient and selenium-supplemented diets were analyzed by Western (protein) blots. Antisera raised against purified individual GST subunits (Ya, Yb, and Yc) were used to detect the corresponding subunits on the blots. The Ya subunit was induced 2.5-fold in the selenium-deficient state. The amount of Yc subunit also increased significantly (p less than 0.05) in selenium deficiency but not to the extent of the Ya subunit. The Yb subunit was not significantly affected by altered selenium nutritional status. A corresponding increase in poly(A) RNAs coding for the Ya and Yc subunits was also observed by Northern blot analysis. Transcriptional activity of GST YaYc genes was elevated by approximately 2-fold in purified nuclei isolated from selenium-deficient rat livers, which is sufficient to account for the increase in YaYc mRNA levels. Therefore, it appears that transcriptional activation of rat liver YaYc genes is the primary cause for the elevation of the corresponding gene products in the selenium-deficient state. Since the GSTs, especially the isozymes containing Ya subunit, have been implicated in the formation of prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha, we investigated the effect of selenium deficiency on the PGF2 alpha-forming activity using a specific inhibitor of GSTs, S-decyl-GSH. In rats fed a nutritionally adequate diet, the activity inhibited by S-decyl-GSH accounted for at least half of the conversion of PGH2 to PGF2 alpha. During selenium deficiency, this GST-catalyzed activity was approximately doubled with no change in PGF2 alpha formation by other pathways, resulting in a 2-fold increase in overall synthesis of PGF2 alpha. These data strongly support a role of GSTs, especially those composed of the Ya size subunit, in the synthesis of PGF2 alpha from PGH2.