Biochemical and morphological changes in mouse liver induced by mistletoe toxins.
Food Chem Toxicol
; 129: 229-238, 2019 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31034933
ABSTRACT
Natural compounds are often characterized by high biological activity and sometimes toxicity. This also applies to compounds contained in the herb mistletoe. The objective of this study was to investigate short-term effects (up to 48â¯h) of mistletoe toxins on mouse hepatocytes. Standardized mistletoe extract Iscador P was given to female mice as a single injection (0.1â¯mg/kg b.w., 1â¯mg/kg b.w., or 2â¯mg/kg b.w). Activities of lysosomal hydrolases acid phosphatase, cathepsins D and L, N-acetyl-ß-D-hexosaminidase, ß-D-glucuronidase, ß-D-glucosidase and cytosolic proteases arginine and leucine aminopeptidases were analyzed in the liver fractions 24 and 48â¯h after the injection. The morphology of hepatocytes was examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. Iscador P caused a decrease in the activity of all lysosomal hydrolases (except cathepsins) in the lysosomal pellet, and an increase in the activity of both aminopeptidases and ß-D-glucuronidase in the cytosol. However, despite membranotropic properties of the viscotoxins, we did not find a significant labilising effect on the lysosomal membranes. Only ß-D-glucuronidase activity was relocated to the supernatant of lysosomal fraction. Microscopic examinations revealed that hepatocyte mitochondria were enlarged and increased in number, whereas the surface of the rough endoplasmic reticulum was decreased significantly.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Toxins, Biological
/
Mistletoe
/
Liver
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Food Chem Toxicol
Year:
2019
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Poland