Internalization of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator by isolated rat hepatocytes is via coated pits.

The uptake and internalization of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) by freshly isolated rat hepatocytes was investigated. Electron microscopic examination of the uptake of t-PA-colloidal gold conjugates (t-PA-gold) by isolated rat hepatocytes showed that t-PA-gold was internalized via coated pits. This was inhibited with excess t-PA. Uptake of 125I-t-PA by isolated rat hepatocytes was a rapid, saturable, and specific process. The initial rate of specific uptake was 0.1 fmol/10(6) cells per min. The specific uptake plateaued at 1.4 fmol/10(6) cells by 30 min and declined to 0.8 fmol/10(6) cells at 2 h. Depletion of cellular ATP by 85-90% did not affect the initial rate of specific uptake. However, specific uptake by ATP-depleted hepatocytes at 30 min was reduced by 37%. By 2 h specific uptake by ATP-depleted hepatocytes was only 5% lower than by untreated hepatocytes, suggesting that processing of t-PA and/or its receptor is ATP-dependent. Uptake of 125I-t-PA was temperature dependent. Specific uptake was reduced by approximately 20% at 22 degrees C and by 70% at temperatures below 16 degrees C. Finally, inhibition of coated pit formation by K(+)-depletion with nigericin decreased the uptake of 125I-t-PA. This inhibition was shown to be K(+)-specific since treatment with nigericin in the presence of K+ did not inhibit coated pit formation or 125I-t-PA uptake. A threshold K(+)-depletion level for inhibition of coated pit formation was also demonstrated since treatment under conditions that reduced cellular K+ by only 54% had no effect on coated pit formation or 125I-t-PA uptake. These data support our hypothesis that internalization of t-PA by isolated rat hepatocytes is via coated pits and suggest that uptake of t-PA is a receptor-mediated process.

Role of glutathione reductase during menadione-induced NADPH oxidation in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Metabolism of menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) results in the rapid oxidation of NADPH within isolated rat hepatocytes. The glutathione redox cycle is thought to play a major role in the consumption of NADPH during menadione metabolism, chiefly through glutathione reductase (GSSG-reductase). This enzyme reduces oxidized glutathione (GSSG), formed via the glutathione-peroxidase reaction, with the concomitant oxidation of NADPH. To explore the relationship between GSSG-reductase and the consumption of NADPH during menadione metabolism, isolated rat hepatocyte suspensions were exposed to non-lethal and lethal menadione concentrations (100 and 300 microM respectively) following the inhibition of GSSG-reductase with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU). Menadione produced a concentration-related depletion of GSH (measured as non-protein sulfhydryl content) which was potentiated markedly by BCNU. Menadione toxicity was potentiated at either concentration by BCNU based on lactate dehydrogenase leakage at 2 hr. In addition, the NADPH content of isolated hepatocytes rapidly declined following exposure to either concentration of menadione. However, at the lower menadione concentration (100 microM), the NADPH content returned to control values or above by 60 min, whereas the NADPH content of cells exposed to 300 microM menadione with or without BCNU remained depressed for the duration of the incubation. These data suggest that, although NADPH is required by GSSG-reductase for the reduction of GSSG to GSH during quinone-induced oxidative stress, this pathway does not appear to be the major route by which NADPH is consumed during the metabolism of menadione in isolated hepatocytes.

Effects of diarylsulfonylurea antitumor agents on the function of mitochondria isolated from rat liver and GC3/c1 cells.

Diarylsulfonylureas, such as N-(4-chlorophenyl)aminocarbonyl-2,3-dihydro-1-indene-5-sulfonamide (LY186641, Sulofenur) and N-(4-chlorophenyl)aminocarbonyl-4-methylbenzene sulfonamide (LY181984), have been shown to be effective antitumor agents in a variety of in vivo and in vitro animal models. Their mechanism of action is unknown but does not appear to be the result of nonselective destruction of actively dividing cell populations. Mitochondria have been shown to accumulate Sulofenur and therefore may be targets of drug action. The purpose of these investigations was to examine the effects of a variety of diarylsulfonylureas in mitochondria and attempt to determine the relevance of these changes to antitumor activity. Many of the diarylsulfonylureas which were effective antitumor agents in animal models were also uncouplers of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. They increased state 4 respiration and dissipated the mitochondrial membrane potential in a concentration-related fashion. The mechanism of uncoupling appeared to be related to a dissociable hydrogen ion as these molecules had pKa values that ranged from 6.0 to 6.2 and were highly lipophilic. Thus, the uncoupling action appears to be the result of hydrogen ion translocation. The mechanism of antitumor activity does not appear to be the result of uncoupling as no correlation was evident between inhibition of cell growth and uncoupling action of a variety of active and inactive diarylsulfonylureas. In vitro, Sulofenur is cytotoxic at high concentrations and inhibits cell growth at lower concentrations in the absence of any overt cell kill. The inhibition of cell growth also did not appear to be related to the uncoupling action of these drugs. In contrast, uncoupling may have played a partial role in the early, high exposure cell kill that can occur with these compounds.

In vivo and in vitro hepatotoxicity and metabolism of acetaminophen in Syrian hamsters.

The purpose of this investigation was to correlate the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of the hepatotoxicant, acetaminophen. Hamsters were pretreated with either phenobarbital (70 mg/kg) or 3-methylcholanthrene (20 mg/kg) or an appropriate vehicle for 3 days. In non-pretreated hamsters, single doses of acetaminophen (200-400 mg/kg i.p.) caused elevations in serum alanine aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities in a dose-related manner. 3-Methylcholanthrene significantly potentiated, while phenobarbital significantly reduced acetaminophen-induced elevations in serum liver enzyme activities. Both phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene significantly reduced acetaminophen plasma T1/2 while only 3-methylcholanthrene increased APAP clearance. Phenobarbital pretreatment increased the urinary excretion of APAP-glucuronide. Exposure of isolated hepatocytes to acetaminophen (0.01-2.0 mM) resulted in concentration-related decreases in hepatocyte viability. Cells from 3-methylcholanthrene-pretreated hamsters were more markedly susceptible to acetaminophen toxicity than cells isolated from non-induced animals. Hepatocytes isolated from phenobarbitol pretreated animals were slightly but significantly more susceptible to acetaminophen toxicity than cells from control animals. Hepatocytes isolated from 3-methylcholanthrene pretreated animals had increased formation of an acetaminophen-glutathione conjugate compared to control. Pre-treatment with either phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene enhanced glucuronidation of acetaminophen in vitro. These data demonstrate a lack of correlation between in vivo hepatotoxicity and in vitro cytotoxicity in that phenobarbital pre-treatment protected hamsters from acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity, but failed to protect hepatocytes exposed to acetaminophen in vitro.

Induction of renal and hepatic mixed function oxidases in the hamster and guinea pig.

A marked species difference exists in the induction of renal and hepatic mixed function oxidase (MFO) activity between rats and rabbits. However, little is known about MFO induction in these organs from other laboratory animals. Male Golden Syrian hamsters and male Hartley guinea pigs were administered phenobarbital (PB) or beta-napthoflavone (BNF) at 70 and 40 mg/kg, respectively, as daily i.p. injections for 4 days. Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) (Firemaster BP-6) was given as a single i.p. injection (50 mg/kg). Hamster hepatic microsomal ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and benzphetamine-N-demethylase (BPND) were selectively induced by BNF and PB, respectively. PBB administration induced both hamster hepatic EROD and BPND. In contrast, hepatic microsomal MFO activity from the guinea pig was inducible by PB, PBB and BNF. Renal microsomal MFO activity in both species was inducible by BNF and PBB as arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase and EROD were induced approximately 10-fold. On the other hand, hamster BPND was induced by PB whereas guinea pig MFO activity was unaffected. Total renal cytochrome P-450 content was not affected by any of these inducers in either species. These data demonstrate selective patterns of induction in both hamster and guinea pig liver and kidney suggesting the involvement of multiple forms of cytochrome P-450.

Nephrotoxicity of phenolic bromobenzene metabolites in the mouse.

Bromobenzene, at doses greater than 5.7 mmol/kg, produced renal proximal tubular necrosis and renal functional changes in mice. p-Bromophenol and o-bromophenol were the major urinary phenolic bromobenzene metabolites although m-bromophenol and 4-bromocatechol were also excreted in detectable quantities. With the exception of o-bromophenol, urinary metabolites were excreted primarily as conjugates. 4-Bromocatechol and the 3 bromophenol isomers were nephrotoxicants (measured as increased blood urea nitrogen and decreased accumulation of organic anions by renal cortical slices) but not hepatotoxicants (measured as serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase) in vivo at 0.56 mmol/kg (i.v.). Preincubation of renal cortical slices with each of these bromobenzene metabolites for 90 min resulted in dose-dependent decreases in the accumulation of p-aminohippurate and tetraethylammonium. At 10 mumol/preincubation (2.4 mM), organic ion accumulation was decreased maximally by all bromobenzene metabolites examined while equimolar amounts of bromobenzene were without effect. 4-Bromocatechol was the most potent nephrotoxicant in vitro. Administration of 0.53-2.12 mmol/kg (i.v.) 4-bromocatechol to mice resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in renal function while hepatic function was altered only slightly at the higher doses. The renal cortical necrosis produced by in vivo administration of 4-bromocatechol could not be distinguished histologically from that induced by bromobenzene. These results demonstrate that 4-bromocatechol and the 3 bromophenol isomers are nephrotoxicants that can be generated from bromobenzene in mice.

The hepatic binding and uptake kinetics of epidermal growth factor: studies with isolated rat hepatocytes.

Hepatocytes are known to bind and internalize a variety of small molecular weight proteins by a process known as receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME). The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the binding and uptake kinetics of a small protein known to be taken up by the liver by RME, epidermal growth factor (EGF), using suspensions of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. Rat hepatocytes accumulated 125I-EGF (90 pM) in a temperature-dependent fashion. Isolated hepatocytes incubated at 37 degrees C with 125I-EGF began to release a TCA-soluble radiolabeled material into the incubation medium with a lag period of 20 min. EGF uptake by isolated hepatocytes was linear for only 60 seconds and displayed saturation kinetics (apparent Km of 4 nM and a Vmax of 105 fM/min/10(6) cells). Hepatocytes incubated at 4 degrees C bound, but did not internalize, EGF. Under these conditions, EGF binding was saturable at concentrations above 8 nM. A Scatchard analysis revealed that the average number of receptors per hepatocyte was 7.7 X 10(4) with a dissociation constant of 2.6 nM. These data demonstrate that freshly isolated hepatocytes are capable of binding, internalizing and metabolizing EGF and thus are a good model to study RME of small molecular weight proteins.

Characteristics of renal UDP-glucuronyltransferase.

Rat renal microsomes catalyzed the glucuronidation of l-naphthol, 4-methylumbelliferone and p-nitrophenol, whereas morphine and testosterone conjugation were not detected. In contrast, all five substrates were conjugated by hepatic microsomes; the activity was typically 5-10 times greater than with renal microsomes. Renal microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase toward l-naphthol was fully activated (six-fold) by 0.03% deoxycholate while the hepatic enzyme was fully activated (eight-fold) by 0.05% deoxycholate. Full activation of hepatic UDP-glucuronyltransferase occurred when microsomes had been preincubated at 0 C with deoxycholate for 20 min. This effect of preincubation was not observed with renal microsomes. The presence of 0.25M sucrose in the buffers during renal microsomal preparation resulted in a two-fold greater rate of l-naphthol conjugation in both unactivated and activated microsomes than renal microsomes prepared in phosphate buffers alone. Preparation of hepatic microsomes with or without 0.25M sucrose had no effect on UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity. Unactivated (-deoxycholate) renal enzyme was activated when incubations were done at a low pH (5.7), whereas fully activated (0.03% deoxycholate) renal microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase displayed a pH optimum at 6.5. Renal microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity toward l-naphthol, p-nitrophenol and 4-methylumbelliferone was induced by pretreatment of rats with beta-naphthoflavone and trans-stilbene oxide but not by phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene. These data demonstrate that renal UDP-glucuronyltransferases are different from the hepatic enzymes with regard to biochemical properties, substrate specificity and in response to chemical inducers of xenobiotic metabolism.

Biochemical mechanisms of cephaloridine nephrotoxicity.

Large doses of the cephalosporin antibiotic, cephaloridine, produce acute proximal tubular necrosis in humans and in laboratory animals. Cephaloridine is actively transported into the proximal tubular cell by an organic anion transport system while transport across the lumenal membrane into tubular fluid appears restricted. High intracellular concentrations of cephaloridine are attained in the proximal tubular cell which are critical to the development of nephrotoxicity. There is substantial evidence indicating that oxidative stress plays a major role in cephaloridine nephrotoxicity. Cephaloridine depletes reduced glutathione, increases oxidized glutathione and induces lipid peroxidation in renal cortical tissue. The molecular mechanisms mediating cephaloridine-induced oxidative stress are not well understood. Inhibition in gluconeogenesis is a relatively early biochemical effect of cephaloridine and is independent of lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, cephaloridine inhibits gluconeogenesis in both target (kidney) and non-target (liver) organs of cephaloridine toxicity. Since glucose is not a major fuel of proximal tubular cells, it is unlikely that cephaloridine-induced tubular necrosis is mediated by the effects of this drug on glucose synthesis.

Cadmium toxicity in the isolated perfused rat liver.

Isolated perfused livers from male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to cadmium chloride (50 and 200 microM). Acute hepatotoxicity was investigated by measuring cadmium-induced changes in bile flow, urea synthesis and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) leakage. Cadmium-induced lipid peroxidation was estimated by formation of conjugated dieners and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactants. Cadmium, at both concentrations, caused a rapid decrease in bile flow (within 40 min) and complete cholestasis within 70 min exposure in livers perfused from both male and female rats. Cadmium exposure (50 and 200 microM) also resulted in the leakage of ALT into the perfusate within 60 min. In contrast, exposure of isolated rat hepatocytes to as high as 500 microM cadmium did not result in enzyme leakage until 180 min exposure. Sex differences in cadmium-induced cholestasis and ALT leakage were not observed at these concentrations. Malondialdehyde was not detected in the perfusate nor were conjugated dienes detected in liver tissue following 90 min cadmium exposure. These data demonstrate that the isolated perfused rat liver (IPRL) is a sensitive system in which to study chemically induced hepatotoxicity. Cadmium rapidly causes functional alterations and cellular damage in perfused livers from both male and female rats. Cadmium-induced liver injury was apparently not related to lipid peroxidation.

Nephrotoxicity of bromobenzene in mice.

I.p. administration of bromobenzene to male mice at doses ranging from 0 to 9.4 mmol/kg resulted in a dose-dependent increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) activity and a decrease in renal cortical accumulation of para-aminohippurate (PAH) and tetraethylammonium (TEA). Induction of renal and hepatic mixed-function oxidases by beta-naphthoflavone (BNF) did not result in any alterations in the hepatotoxic or nephrotoxic response to bromobenzene. Renal and hepatic non-protein sulfhydryl (NPSH) concentrations were decreased significantly 1 h after administration of bromobenzene (7.5 mmol/kg) and were maximally depleted in both organs to 18% of control after 7 h. Depletion of renal NPSH by bromobenzene was dose-dependent up to 9.4 mmol/kg. Treatment of mice with diethyl maleate (DEM) (0.6 ml/kg) 60 min prior to bromobenzene administration resulted in greater hepatotoxicity, evidenced by increased SGPT, while renal toxicity was unchanged. These data demonstrate that large doses of bromobenzene produce functional alterations in the kidney.

The effect of ethanol administration on renal and hepatic mixed-function oxidases in the Fischer 344 rat.

Administration of ethanol in the drinking water increases hepatic cytochrome P-450 content and xenobiotic metabolism. However, the effect on renal xenobiotic metabolism has not been investigated. Chronic consumption of ethanol (15% solution in the drinking water) increased hepatic cytochrome P-450 content as well as ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase, aniline hydroxylase and benzphetamine-N-demethylase activities. No change in renal cytochrome P-450 was detected after chronic ethanol consumption whereas ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activity in renal microsomes was significantly increased.

Effect of dietary trans-stilbene oxide on hepatic and renal drug-metabolizing enzyme activities and bromobenzene-induced toxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats.

The effect of dietary trans-stilbene oxide (TSO) on hepatic and renal xenobiotic metabolizing-enzyme activities and bromobenzene-induced toxicity was quantified in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were fed a regular diet or the same diet supplemented with 2.5 g TSO/kg diet for 10 days. TSO treatment did not alter hepatic or renal arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity, but significantly increased glutathione S-transferase and uridine diphosphoglucuronyl transferase activities in both organs. In addition, TSO increased hepatic, but not renal, epoxide hydrolase activity. The same treatment did not produce adverse effects on renal or hepatic functions, but markedly potentiated bromobenzene hepatotoxicity. A single dose of bromobenzene (0.2 ml/kg) caused a slight increase in serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) activity and minor hepatic necrosis in animals fed the control diet; the same dose of bromobenzene markedly increased SGPT activity and produced severe hepatic necrosis in the TSO-fed animals.

Cephaloridine-induced biochemical changes and cytotoxicity in suspensions of rabbit isolated proximal tubules.

Cephalosporin antibiotics, such as cephaloridine (Cld), are known to be nephrotoxic in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, Cld causes proximal tubule necrosis in rabbits which is preceded by glutathione (GSH) depletion and, under certain conditions, inhibition of mitochondrial function. In vitro, Cld causes GSH depletion, lipid peroxidation, and inhibition of rat kidney slice organic ion uptake. The present investigations were designed to evaluate the temporal relationships of the biochemical "lesions" caused by Cld to the onset of lethal cell injury in suspensions of isolated rabbit proximal tubules. Cld was cytotoxic to suspensions of rabbit proximal tubules (EC50 = 1.10 +/- 0.33 mM) in the absence of amino acids (to support GSH synthesis). In this model, Cld also caused GSH and ATP depletion, lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde formation), and inhibition of tubule respiration. Probenecid prevented Cld accumulation, tubule injury, ATP depletion, and lipid peroxidation and markedly attenuated the GSH depletion. Addition of glycine, cystine, and glutamate to the incubation buffer to support GSH synthesis decreased the tubule accumulation of Cld (due solely to the presence of glutamate) and blocked Cld-induced tubule lethality, lipid peroxidation, ATP depletion, and GSH depletion. Glycine or glutamate alone had no effect on Cld-induced cytotoxicity, whereas cystine was cytoprotective. Buthionine sulfoximine partially reversed the amino acid protection against Cld-induced tubule injury. Thus amino acid-induced protection of tubules from Cld cytotoxicity was due to the combination of a high intracellular GSH content and cytoprotection by cystine. The antioxidant N-N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD) blocked tubule injury, ATP depletion, and lipid peroxidation but had no effect on Cld-induced GSH depletion when tubules were incubated for 3 hr. However, when incubations were allowed to run for up to 8 hr, DPPD had no effect on Cld cytotoxicity, despite continued inhibition of lipid peroxidation. These data demonstrate that Cld-induced tubule injury in short-term (3 hr) incubations in vitro occurs by a mechanism probably involving lipid peroxidation and occurs only in the absence of amino acids to support GSH synthesis. Inhibition of tubule respiration and ATP depletion could not clearly be causally linked to the onset of cell death in this model. The mechanism of the peroxidation-independent Cld toxicity in tubules incubated for 8 hr or longer is not known at this time.

tert.-Butyl hydroperoxide metabolism and stimulation of the pentose phosphate pathway in isolated rat hepatocytes.

The metabolism of tert.-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) by the glutathione peroxidase/reductase system in isolated hepatocytes results in the rapid depletion of reduced glutathione and NADPH. The regeneration of NADPH can occur through the pentose phosphate pathway, but only when the pathway is stimulated, for example, by NADP+ and possibly oxidized glutathione, both of which can be elevated in hepatocytes exposed to TBHP. TBHP is a cytotoxicant and the role of NADPH and the pentose phosphate pathway in protecting hepatocytes from TBHP-induced injury is unknown. Isolated rat hepatocytes exposed to TBHP (0.5 mM) for 30 min metabolized more [1-14C]glucose to 14CO2 than control (638.2 +/- 96.2 vs 306.9 +/- 69.5 dpm/10(6) cells) whereas 14CO2 evolution from [6-14C]glucose was unchanged, indicating that TBHP increases the activity of the pentose phosphate pathway and not glycolysis. TBHP (0.25 mM) metabolism also resulted in a rapid oxidation of hepatocyte NADPH from 2.85 +/- 0.32 to 0.55 +/- 0.24 nmol/10(6) cells which rapidly returned to 3.58 +/- 0.27 nmol NADPH/10(6) cells. Inhibition of the pentose phosphate pathway with 6-aminonicotinamide (70 mg/kg; 5 hr prior to hepatocyte isolation) inhibited TBHP-stimulated 14CO2 evolution from [1-14C]glucose and decreased the rate of NADP+ reduction. Hepatocytes isolated from 6-aminonicotinamide-treated animals were more susceptible to TBHP-induced cell injury than were control hepatocytes. These data demonstrate the following: The metabolism of TBHP by isolated hepatocytes stimulated the activity of the pentose phosphate pathway; and inhibition of the pentose phosphate pathway with 6-aminonicotinamide potentiated the toxicity of TBHP to isolated rat hepatocytes. These results suggest that the regeneration of NADPH by the pentose phosphate pathway may play a significant role in protecting hepatocytes from TBHP-induced damage.

Renal tubular effects of sodium fluoride.

Administration of sodium fluoride results in vasopressin-resistant polyuric "renal failure" resembling nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. However, the renal tubular site of action of fluoride is not clear. Fischer 344 rats received acute i.v. infusions of sodium fluoride (0.3, 1.47 and 2.20 mumol/min/kg b.wt.) for 2.5 hr which resulted in dissipation of the renal medullary tissue osmotic gradient and a sustained, dose-related increase in fractional sodium excretion and urine flow. In additional experiments, free water reabsorption and excretion were decreased by fluoride, but the decrease in free water excretion occurred only when the fluoride-induced polyuria preceded the onset of the water diuresis. Slices of renal medulla from fluoride-treated rats had lower cyclic AMP concentrations than did slices from control rats and the responsiveness of the medullary tissue to vasopressin was markedly reduced. These data indicate that the fluoride ion dissipates the concentration gradient in the renal medulla largely by inhibiting NaCl reabsorption in the ascending limb of Henle's loop and inhibits antidiuretic hormone-mediated water reabsorption across the collecting duct.

The effects of fructose on adenosine triphosphate depletion following mitochondrial dysfunction and lethal cell injury in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Mitochondrial injury in aerobic mammalian cells is associated with a rapid depletion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which occurs prior to the onset of lethal cell injury. In this report, the relationships between ATP depletion and lethal cell injury were examined in rat hepatocytes using oligomycin as a model mitochondrial toxicant and fructose as an alternative carbohydrate source for glycolysis. Oligomycin was more potent in causing lethal cell injury in hepatocytes isolated from fasted animals than cells from fed animals. The onset of cell injury (leakage of lactate dehydrogenase) in cells from fed animals correlated with the depletion of stored glycogen and ATP. The degree and time course profile of oligomycin-induced ATP depletion could be duplicated with 50 mM fructose alone in hepatocytes from fasted animals; however, fructose did not cause lethal cell injury. Oligomycin caused marked accumulation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) and a conservation of adenine nucleotides. In contrast, fructose (50 mM) caused a decrease in Pi, no persistent change in AMP, and a depletion of the adenine nucleotide pool. Fructose, at concentrations greater than 1.0 mM, protected hepatocytes from oligomycin-induced toxicity. Blockade of mitochondrial ATP synthesis with oligomycin resulted in massive ATP depletion. In the presence of oligomycin, 5.0 mM fructose maintained cellular ATP content similar to that of control cells, whereas 50 mM fructose did not, demonstrating the biphasic effect of increasing fructose concentrations on cellular ATP content. Fructose-induced protection of hepatocytes from oligomycin toxicity was due to glycolytic fructose metabolism as hepatocytes incubated with iodoacetate (30 microM), fructose, and oligomycin had reduced viability and ATP content. In conclusion, interruption of mitochondrial ATP synthesis leads to marked ATP depletion and lethal cell injury. Cell injury is clearly not due to ATP depletion alone since increased glycolytic ATP production from either glycogen or fructose can maintain cell integrity in the absence of mitochondrial ATP synthesis and at low cellular ATP levels.

Menadione-induced oxidative stress in hepatocytes isolated from fed and fasted rats: the role of NADPH-regenerating pathways.

Isolated hepatocytes were prepared from fed and fasted rats and exposed to a range of menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) concentrations. Menadione (300 microM) caused a rapid decline in the (NADPH)/(NADPH + NADP+) ratio from 0.85 to 0.39 within 15 min, with further decreases over the 90-min incubation period in cells isolated from fed animals. This decrease of NADPH resulted from oxidation to NADP+ since there was no loss of total pyridine nucleotide (NADP+ + NADPH) content. In addition, menadione (100 microM) caused a five-fold stimulation of the hexose monophosphate shunt by 30 min as indicated by the oxidation of [1-14C]glucose. LDH leakage was slightly but significantly elevated (30% of total) following exposure of cells to 300 microM menadione for 2 hr. Menadione caused a concentration-dependent GSH depletion: 100 microM menadione caused no depletion and 200 and 300 microM menadione caused a 75 and 95% decrease, respectively. Intracellular NADPH was significantly reduced within 30 min by 100 and 200 microM menadione but then returned to values equivalent to or greater than control by 60 min. In contrast, a sustained decrease of NADPH was produced by 300 microM menadione (5% of control after 2 hr). A marked potentiation of the oxidative cell injury produced by menadione was observed in hepatocytes prepared from 24-hr-fasted rats. LDH leakage was 50 and 95% when these cells were exposed to 100 and 200 microM menadione, respectively. Menadione (100 and 200 microM) also caused a marked GSH depletion (95% of control) by 90 min. In contrast to cells isolated from fed animals, menadione (100 and 200 microM) caused an 85% depletion of NADPH by 60 min in cells isolated from fasted rats. This potentiation of menadione-induced oxidative injury was not related to the decreased GSH content produced by fasting since menadione toxicity was not potentiated in control cells partially depleted of GSH by diethyl maleate. A further comparison was made between cells isolated from fasted rats and incubated either with or without supplemental glucose in order to determine a possible protective effect by glucose. In this comparison a significant (p less than 0.05) glucose effect was indeed observed in the direction of preventing GSH and NADPH depletion, as well as attenuating LDH leakage, when hepatocytes were exposed to either 50 or 100 microM menadione.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Protection of rat hepatocytes from tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced injury by catechol.

Metabolism of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP, 2.0 mM) by glutathione peroxidase within isolated rat hepatocytes caused a rapid oxidation of intracellular reduced glutathione and ultimately NADPH through glutathione reductase. TBHP also caused the formation of surface blebs in the hepatocyte plasma membrane followed by the leakage of cytosolic enzymes, such as lactate dehydrogenase, into the incubation medium. Catechol (0.1 mM) protected hepatocytes from the cytotoxic effects of TBHP but did not prevent the rapid oxidation of glutathione indicating normal metabolism of TBHP through glutathione reductase. In contrast, addition of catechol to the hepatocyte incubations prevented TBHP-induced depletion of intracellular NADPH and increased the total NADP+ + NADPH concentration without altering significantly the intracellular NADP+ content or the NADPH/NADP + NADPH ratio. Catechol did not alter TBHP stimulation of the pentose phosphate pathway. Hepatocytes incubated with sublethal concentrations of TBHP (1.0 mM) did not leak lactate dehydrogenase into the medium but did lose intracellular potassium. In these experiments, TBHP caused a sustained increase in phosphorylase alpha activity suggesting that TBHP metabolism may be associated with a sustained increase in cytosolic free Ca2+. In the presence of catechol, phosphorylase alpha activity was increased by 5 min but returned toward control by 20 min. These data suggest that catechol may be protecting hepatocytes from TBHP-induced injury by preventing a sustained rise in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration.