Tauroursodeoxycholate protects from glycochenodeoxycholate-induced gene expression changes in perfused rat liver.

Tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC) is well known to protect against glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC)-induced apoptosis in rat hepatocytes. In the present study, we analyzed whether TUDC also exerts protective effects by modulating GCDC-induced gene expression changes. For this, gene array-based transcriptome analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed on RNA isolated from rat livers perfused with GCDC, TUDC or a combination of both (each 20 µm for 2 h). GCDC led to a significant increase of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into the effluent perfusate, which was prevented by TUDC. GCDC, TUDC and co-perfusion induced distinct gene expression changes. While GCDC upregulated the expression of several pro-inflammatory genes, co-perfusion with TUDC increased the expression of pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic p53 target genes. In line with this, levels of serine20-phosphorylated p53 and of its target gene p21 were elevated by GCDC in a TUDC-sensitive way. GCDC upregulated the oxidative stress surrogate marker 8OH(d)G and the pro-apoptotic microRNAs miR-15b/16 and these effects were prevented by TUDC. The upregulation of miR-15b and miR-16 in GCDC-perfused livers was accompanied by a downregulation of several potential miR-15b and miR-16 target genes. The present study identified changes in the transcriptome of the rat liver which suggest, that TUDC is hepatoprotective by counteracting GCDC-induced gene expression changes.

Tauroursodeoxycholate Protects Rat Hepatocytes from Bile Acid-Induced Apoptosis via ß1-Integrin- and Protein Kinase A-Dependent Mechanisms.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ursodeoxycholic acid, which in vivo is rapidly converted into its taurine conjugate, is frequently used for the treatment of cholestatic liver disease. Apart from its choleretic effects, tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC) can protect hepatocytes from bile acid-induced apoptosis, but the mechanisms underlying its anti-apoptotic effects are poorly understood. METHODS: These mechanisms were investigated in perfused rat liver and isolated rat hepatocytes. RESULTS: It was found that TUDC inhibited the glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC)-induced activation of the CD95 death receptor at the level of association between CD95 and the epidermal growth factor receptor. This was due to a rapid TUDC-induced ß1-integrin-dependent cyclic AMP (cAMP) signal with induction of the dual specificity mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP-1), which prevented GCDC-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4) and c-jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. Furthermore, TUDC induced a protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated serine/threonine phosphorylation of the CD95, which was recently identified as an internalization signal for CD95. Furthermore, TUDC inhibited GCDC-induced CD95 targeting to the plasma membrane in a ß1-integrin-and PKA-dependent manner. In line with this, the ß1-integrin siRNA knockdown in sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (Ntcp)-transfected HepG2 cells abolished the protective effect of TUDC against GCDC-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSION: TUDC exerts its anti-apoptotic effect via a ß1-integrin-mediated formation of cAMP, which prevents CD95 activation by hydrophobic bile acids at the levels of JNK activation and CD95 serine/threonine phosphorylation.

Tauro-ß-muricholic acid restricts bile acid-induced hepatocellular apoptosis by preserving the mitochondrial membrane potential.

PURPOSE: ß-Muricholic acid (ßMCA) is a trihydroxylated bile acid that constitutes the major bile acid in rat and mouse. ßMCA is more hydrophilic than ursodeoxycholic acid and has been evaluated for dissolution of cholesterol gallstones. Since it is unknown if ßMCA has beneficial effects on hepatocyte cell death we determined the effect of tauro-ßMCA (TßMCA) on apoptosis in vitro. METHODS: Human Ntcp-transfected HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes from rat and mouse were incubated with the proapoptotic glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA) as well as the free fatty acid palmitate in the absence and presence of TßMCA. Apoptosis was quantified using caspase 3/7-assays and after Hoechst 33342 staining. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was measured fluorometrically using JC-1 (5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-benzimidazol-carbocyaniniodide). Immunoblotting was performed against the proapoptotic Bcl-2-protein Bax. RESULTS: In Ntcp-HepG2 cells, GCDCA markedly increased apoptosis after 4h. Co-incubation with TßMCA reduced apoptosis to 49% (p<0.01 vs. GCDCA, each; n=6). While GCDCA (100µmol/L) reduced the MMP to 34% after 6h, combination treatment with TßMCA restored the MMP to control levels at all time points (n=4). TßMCA also restored breakdown of the MMP induced by palmitate. GCDCA induced a translocation of Bax from the cytosol to mitochondria that was inhibited by simultaneous treatment with TßMCA in eqimolar concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: TßMCA restricts hepatocellular apoptosis induced by low micromolar concentrations of GCDCA or palmitate via inhibition of Bax translocation to mitochondria and preservation of the MMP. Thus, further studies are warranted to evaluate a potential use of TßMCA in ameliorating liver injury in cholestasis.

PF2401-SF, standardized fraction of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its constituents, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, and cryptotanshinone, protect primary cultured rat hepatocytes from bile acid-induced apoptosis by inhibiting JNK phosphorylation.

Bile acid-induced hepatocyte apoptosis plays an important role in cholestatic liver disease, and the role of apoptosis may be of therapeutic interest in preventing liver disease. The dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Labiatae) has been used traditionally to treat liver diseases. We investigated the antiapoptotic effects of a standardized fraction of S. miltiorrhiza (PF2401-SF) and its components, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, and cryptotanshinone, in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. PF2401-SF was enriched with tanshinone I (11.5%), tanshinone IIA (41.0%), and cryptotanshinone (19.1%). Glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDC)-induced apoptosis, as shown by DNA fragmentation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and activation of caspases-8, -9, and -3. PF2401-SF and its components, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, and cryptotanshinone showed antiapoptotic activity. Treatment with PF2401-SF or with its components significantly inhibited the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Hydrophobic bile acids activate c-Jun-NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and PF2401-SF inhibited the phosphorylation of JNK and p38. All three components of PF2401-SF inhibited JNK phosphorylation. Addition of inhibitors of MAPK showed that inhibition of JNK decreased apoptosis. These data indicate that PF2401-SF and its components protect hepatocytes from GCDC-induced apoptosis in vitro by inhibiting JNK.

Induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition as a mechanism of liver injury during cholestasis: a potential role for mitochondrial proteases.

As part of this thematic series on mitochondria in cell death, we would like to review our data on: (1) the role of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) in hepatocyte necrosis during cholestasis; and (2) the concept that endogenous mitochondrial protease activity may lead to the MPT. Many chronic human liver diseases are characterized by cholestasis, an impairment in bile flow. During cholestasis an accumulation of toxic hydrophobic bile salts in the hepatocyte causes necrosis. We tested the hypothesis that toxic hydrophobic bile salt, glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC), causes hepatocyte necrosis by inducing the MPT. GCDC induces a rapid, cyclosporin A-sensitive MPT. The hydrophilic bile salt, ursodeoxycholate (UDCA), prevents the GCDC-induced MPT and hepatocyte necrosis providing an explanation for its beneficial effect in human liver disease. We have also demonstrated that the calcium-dependent MPT is associated with an increase in calpain-like protease activity and inhibited by calpain inhibitors. In an experimental model of cholestasis, mitochondrial calpain-like protease activity increases 1.6-fold. We propose for the first time that activation of mitochondrial proteases may initiate the MPT and cell necrosis during cholestasis.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase, but not mitogen-activated protein kinase, pathway is involved in hepatocyte growth factor-mediated protection against bile acid-induced apoptosis in cultured rat hepatocytes.

We have previously shown that cAMP protects against hydrophobic bile acid-induced apoptosis in cultured rat hepatocytes through pathways dependent on activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and inhibition of mitogen activated protein kinase. Hepatocyte growth factor protects epithelial cells against apoptosis and activates both of these kinases in hepatocytes. We studied the effect of hepatocyte growth factor on glycochenodeoxycholate-induced apoptosis to determine whether hepatocyte growth factor protects hepatocytes against bile acid-induced apoptosis and whether the protective effect is mediated via phosphoinositide 3-kinase and/or mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Two-hour exposure of cultured rat hepatocytes to glycochenodeoxycholate resulted in apoptosis in 12.5 +/- 0.49% of the cells. Pretreatment with hepatocyte growth factor (50 ng/mL) decreased apoptosis by 50% to 70%. Hepatocyte growth factor cytoprotection was prevented by pretreatment with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin (50 nmol/L) or Ly 294002 (40 micromol/L). Hepatocyte growth factor activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase dependent protein kinase B and mitogen-activated protein kinase. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with a mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor, U0126 (40 micromol/L) or an inhibitor of pp70(s6) kinase, rapamycin (100 nmol/L), had no effect on the growth factor's anti-apopotic effect. Treatment with hepatocyte growth factor resulted in mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent phosphorylation of BAD on serine(112). In summary, hepatocyte growth factor protection against bile acid-induced apoptosis occurs via a phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway and is not dependent on the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, phosphorylation of BAD on serine(112), or activation of p70(S6) kinase.

Inhibition of bile-salt-induced hepatocyte apoptosis by the antioxidant lazaroid U83836E.

Intracellular retention of toxic bile salts contributes to hepatocellular injury during cholestasis. We have recently demonstrated that toxic bile salts directly induce apoptosis in hepatocytes. As oxidative stress has been implicated in many models of apoptosis, our aim was to determine if oxidative injury is a critical event during bile-salt-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. Cultured rat hepatocytes incubated with 50 microM glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC) exhibited the characteristic morphological features of apoptosis such as nuclear fragmentation and cellular fragmentation into organelle-containing membrane-bound apoptotic bodies. After a 3-hr incubation, apoptosis was observed in 60 +/- 8% of cells compared to <1% in controls. GCDC-induced apoptosis was associated with lipid peroxidation as demonstrated by an increase in 8-isoprostane release. The antioxidant lazaroid U83836E inhibited 8-isoprostane generation during GCDC-induced hepatocye apoptosis. In addition, U83836E also reduced GCDC-mediated apoptosis by 70% as assessed using both stringent morpholgic (nuclear fragmentation) and biochemical (determination of DNA strand breaks) criteria. In summary, during treatment of hepatocytes with GCDC, (1) apoptosis is associated with lipid peroxidation, and (2) the antioxidant lazaroid U83836E inhibits both lipid peroxidation and apoptosis. In conclusion, these data suggest that oxidative stress contributes to bile-salt-induced apoptosis. We speculate that antioxidants may be useful in ameliorating liver injury during chronic cholestasis.