Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the most serious and frequent drug-related adverse\nevents in humans. Selenium (Se) and glutathione (GSH) have a crucial role for the hepatoprotective\neffect against reactive metabolites or oxidative damage leading to DILI. The hepatoprotective capacity\nrelated to Se and GSH in rodents is considered to be superior compared to the capacity in humans.\nTherefore, we hypothesize that Se/GSH-depleted rats could be a sensitive animal model to predict DILI\nin humans. In this study, Se-deficiency is induced by feeding a Se-deficient diet and GSH-deficiency is\ninduced by l-buthionine-S,R-sulfoxinine treatment via drinking water. The usefulness of this animal\nmodel is validated using flutamide, which is known to cause DILI in humans but not in intact rats.\nIn the Se/GSH-depleted rats from the present study, decreases in glutathione peroxidase-1 protein\nexpression and GSH levels and an increase in malondialdehyde levels in the liver are observed\nwithout any increase in plasma liver function parameters. Five-day repeated dosing of flutamide at\n150 mg/kg causes hepatotoxicity in the Se/GSH-depleted rats but not in normal rats. In conclusion,\nSe/GSH-depleted rats are the most sensitive for detecting flutamide-induced hepatotoxicity in all the\nreported animal models.
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