Effects of an antioxidant, butylated (3-tert-butyl-4-) hydroxyanisole (BHA) on the induction of specific molecular forms of glutathione S-transferase (GST), UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UDP-GT) and other glutathione-related enzymes in rat liver were investigated. The development of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP)-positive foci and hyperplastic nodules induced by diethylnitrosamine, 200 mg/kg i.p., followed by 0.02% N-2-fluorenylacetamide (FAA) in diet plus partial hepatectomy was inhibited by the administration of 0.75% BHA in the FAA-containing diet. Inhibition was reflected in decreased area of gamma-GTP-positive foci which correlated with a decrease in gamma-GTP activity measured biochemically. Under the present experimental conditions, total activities of GSTs, especially that of GST-A form, and of UDP-GTs, especially that of the late fetal form (o-GT), were markedly increased, together with glutathione levels in the whole liver, within one week after BHA administration. Without BHA administration the activities of GST-A and o-GT, as well as glutathione levels, were also increased by FAA treatment, primarily localized within gamma-GTP-positive foci. These results suggest that the induction of specific molecular forms of detoxicating enzymes either in enzyme-altered foci or in the whole liver may play an important role in determining the extent of development of preneoplastic nodules from initiated foci under the short term induction conditions used.