AGE DEPENDENCE OF O-6-METHYLGUANINE-DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY AND ITS DEPLETION AFTER CARCINOGEN TREATMENT IN THE TELEOST MEDAKA (ORYZIAS-LATIPES)

O6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (O6-MT) is considered to play an important role in the repair of DNA lesions induced by alkylating carcinogens in a wide range of animals. The activity of O6-MT was compared in liver extracts from the teleost medaka (Oryzias latipes) at various ages (3-5 years old) reared under natural conditions. O6-MT activity decreased significantly with advancing age. When medaka were exposed continuously to the alkylating agent methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate at levels of 0.1, 0.15 and 0.3 ppm in water, O6-MT activity was markedly reduced from days 1 to 7, with a slight increase thereafter. Furthermore, when fish were exposed to MAM acetate at levels of 1-2 ppm for 1 h and then maintained in normal tap water, O6-MT activity remained suppressed for 2 weeks, followed by a partial recovery.