INHIBITION OF HEPATIC ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE BY CARBON TETRACHLORIDE: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Abstract 1. 1. In vitro inhibition of rat liver mitochondrial and microsomal aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) under conditions of active CCl 4 metabolism was investigated. 2. 2. Incubation of microsomes or mitochondria in the presence of NADPH alone caused significant, time-dependent inhibition of mitochondrial and microsomal ALDH. EDTA partially protected ALDH from inhibition. 3. 3. Incubation of microsomes or microsomes plus mitochondria in the presence of NADPH and CCl 4 resulted in marked inhibition of microsomal and mitochondrial ALDH activity. The inhibition was both dose- and time-dependent and was relatively less in the presence of EDTA. 4. 4. It is proposed that the inhibition of membrane-bound ALDH may be one of the early events responsible for the genesis of CCl 4 -hepatotoxicity.