Rolf Dargel

Lipid peroxidation — a common pathogenetic mechanism?

Lipid peroxidation is considered at present as one of the basic mechanisms involved in reversible and irreversible cell and tissue damage. The current knowledge about the role of peroxidative breakdown of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the pathogenesis of various diseases has been reviewed. Lipid peroxidation leads to degradation of the lipid membrane, interaction of degradation products with intra- and extracellular targets and to the production of new reactive oxygen species during the course of the chain reaction thus leading to damage of cells and tissues. According to our current view lipid peroxidation is implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer, inflammatory processes, atherosclerosis, toxic injury by xenobiotics and ischemic-reperfusion damage.

Studies on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in rat liver cirrhosis induced by different regimens of thioacetamide administration

In female Wistar rats the animal model of TAA-induced liver cirrhosis has been tested for reliability and usefulness for studies on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in cirrhosis. From our results we draw the following conclusions: Application of 300 mg TAA/l drinking water from the 4th to the 6th month of life leads in all treated rats to liver cirrhosis which is rather uniformly of micronodular surface morphology. Under this treatment the survival rate is about 90 percent. Increasing the administered dose (450 and 600 mg/l) and/or extension of TAA administration time (4 or more months) leads to decreasing survival rates, and to a shift from micronodular towards macronodular cirrhosis. To produce macronodular cirrhosis it is suggested to extent the application time rather than to increase the dose since in the latter case the survival rate is very low. The alterations of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism observed in this animal model, i.e. decrease of pre-beta-lipoproteins, increase of beta-lipoproteins, decrease of serum triglyceride concentration and decrease of hepatic VLDL-TG output into the serum are in good agreement with those observed in human cirrhosis. Thus, the TAA-induced chronic liver injury proved to be a reliable and useful model for studies on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in liver cirrhosis.

Lipid peroxidation in thioacetamide-induced macronodular rat liver cirrhosis

Microsomes and isolated hepatocytes from thioacetamide (TAA)-induced macronodularly cirrhotic rat livers were analysed for their susceptibility to unstimulated and stimulated lipid peroxidation measured as malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. In microsomes from TAA-induced macronodularly cirrhotic livers the MDA production stimulated either by ascorbate-iron or by ADP-iron in a NADPH-regenerating system was decreased. Hepatic microsomes from TAA-treated rats exhibited a reduced cytochrome P450 content and lowered activities of ethylmorphine N-demethylase, ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and epoxide hydrolase. Besides this, the microsomal fatty acid pattern of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine was significantly changed after 6 months of TAA administration. The 18∶2/20∶4 ratio of phospholipid fatty acids was markedly increased. In contrast to the microsomes, in isolated hepatocytes from macronodularly cirrhotic livers the iron- and ascorbate-iron-stimulated MDA formation was increased. The hepatocellular GSH content was unaffected by TAA pretreatment, whereas the GSSG content exhibited a significant increase, thus leading to a pronounced reduction of the GSH/GSSG ratio. The calcium channel blocker verapamil (200 μM), known to be able to scavenge OH′ radicals produced by the Fenton reaction, revealed an inhibitory effect on ascorbate-iron- and ADP-iron-stimulated lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes from normal as well as TAA-treated livers which is attributed to its antioxidative properties. In summary, lipid peroxidation is altered in TAA-induced macronodularly cirrhotic rat livers. Furthermore, the data clearly show that isolated microsomes and parenchymal cells prepared from cirrhotic livers react differently to prooxidant stimuli.

Glutathione synthesis and export in experimental liver cirrhosis induced by thioacetamide: Relations to ultrastructural changes

Micro-and macronodular experimental liver cirrhosis was induced in female rats by administration of 0.03% thioacetamide (TAA) in drinking water for 3 or 6 months, respectively. The glutathione (GSH) status (content, synthesis, export) and ultrastructural changes of liver were investigated 14 d after withdrawal of TAA. The hepatic level of GSH was increased after 6 months TAA treatment. The levels of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were not changed after 3 months or 6 months TAA administration. The GSH synthesis was not disturbed in the cirrhotic livers; only the ratio between the 2 synthesizing enzymes was changed in macronodular liver cirrhosis. The plasma GSH content was reduced in both cases, independent of the stage of liver cirrhosis. The electron microscopic studies on cirrhotic rat livers revealed a series of characteristic structural changes, such as disorganization and total lack of the microvilli border, appearance of basement membrane-like deposits within the narrowed space of Disse, disappearance of the highly porous endothelial cell lining and partly an intensively detoriated blood supply within the pseudolobules. It is suggested that all these changes may contribute to a disturbance of the GSH export from the hepatocytes into the blood. It is very likely, however, that the alterations of the sinusoidal cell surface play the most important role. 1. The GSH/GSSG redox potential is shifted in favour of the reduced form in this cirrhosis model. This shift seems to be connected with later stages of cirrhogenesis. 2. A GSH export disturbance is responsible for the decreased plasma GSH level in liver cirrhosis.

The visceral yolk sac — an important site of synthesis and secretion of apolipoprotein B containing lipoproteins in the feto-placental unit of the rat

Rat fetuses exhibit a high serum LDL concentration at term. Delivery caused a marked decrease of the LDL apolipoprotein (apo) B concentration independent of whether this occurred on days 21, 22 or 23 of gestation. The interruption of the yolk sac circulation by a ligature in situ for 6 h led to the same alterations of the LDL-apo B concentration as Caesarean section. Immunoelectronmicroscopic studies provided evidence that the epithelial cells of the visceral yolk sac exhibited electron dense LDL-sized and apo B containing particles which were localized over the compartments of the Golgi complexes, endoplasmatic reticulum, secretory vesicles and intercellular spaces, but not over the cell nuclei, mitochondria or lysosomes. ApoB containing LDL-sized particles could be obtained by ultracentrifugation from the disrupted material of the microsomal fraction of yolk sac homogenates. Isolated segments of the yolk sac membranes were capable to secrete apoB containing lipoproteins floating in the d less than 1.020 g/ml as well as in the d = 1.020-1.064 g/ml fraction with a 10-fold higher amount of apoB in the higher density class. Incorporation experiments with [35S] methionine gave evidence that these lipoproteins were at least partially provided with newly synthesized apoB predominantly found in the LDL fraction. The size of the negatively stained particles in the d = 1.020-1.064 g/ml fraction secreted from yolk sac segments corresponded to that of LDL from fetal rat serum. In contrast their acylglycerol content was significantly higher, whereas the percentage contribution of total cholesterol and protein was markedly reduced in comparison with serum LDL of the fetus. In summary, biochemical and ultrastructural studies provide clear cut evidence that the rat yolk sac is able to synthesize and to deliver apo B containing lipoproteins in the density ranges of VLDL, IDL and particular of LDL thus contributing to the supply of serum lipoproteins in the rat fetus. By recalculation of recent tracer kinetic data (Plonné et al. (1990) J. Lipid Res. 31, 747) using a mathematical step function model it was possible to assess the contribution of the rat yolk sac to the LDL influx into the fetal serum.

Luminol-and lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence with rat liver microsomes. Kinetics and influence of ascorbic acid, glutathione, dimethylsulfoxide, N-t-butyl-a-phenyl-nitrone, copper-ions and a copper complex, catalase, superoxide dismutase, hexobarbital and aniline.

For the investigation of luminol (LM)-and lucigenin (LC)-amplified chemiluminescence (CL) in rat liver microsomes using both a liquid-scintillation counter (LKB/Wallac 1219 Rackbeta) and a Berthold luminometer (AutoLumat LB 953) optimal incubation mixtures and conditions and basic kinetics have been established. Whereas calibration curves for both LM- and LC-CL are performed with hydrogenperoxide (LC quantum yield is 6.25 fold higher as that of LM), distinct differences were revealed with microsomes, indicating that different reactive oxygen species (ROS) are determined: Both LM- and LC-CL follow the kinetics of enzymatic reactions in terms of dependence on protein and NADPH or NADH concentration, time course, temperature etc., but with differences. LM-CL does not work without addition of Fe2+, whereas LC-CL does. Both copper ions and copper bound in a complex abolish CL, LC-CL being much more sensitive. Isolated cytochrome P-450 (P450) and NADPH P450 reductase from liver of pheno-barbital treated rats alone proved to be inactive in LM-and LC-CL production, whereas te combination 1:1 without and with addition of lipid was highly active in both LM-and LC-CL. Ascorbic acid and glutathione as scavengers diminish both LM- and LC-CL in concentrations higher then 10(5). Dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO) was ineffective in LM-CL up to concentrations of 0.2 M, the very high concentration of 2 M diminished LM-CL only to 1/3. LC-CL was diminished starting at concentrations of 100 mM and at 2 M only 10% of maximum LC-CL was observed. The trap substance N-t-butyl-a-phenylnitrone (BNP) also diminished LC-CL more effectively than LM-CL. Clearcut differences were revealed by the addition of catalase and superoxide dismutase: both enzymes diminished LM-CL only, without any influence on LC-CL. Hexobarbital, a potent uncoupler of P450, enhances LM-CL fivefold, whereas LC-CL is barely influenced. Aniline (without uncoupling capability) decreased both LM-and LC-CL increasingly with increasing concentrations. Therefore the conclusion is drawn that LM-CL measures in liver microsomes predominantly superoxide anion radicals, whereas LC-CL is mainly a measure for microsomal hydroxyl radical formation or of reactive organic radicals. With microsomes of phenobarbital and beta-naphthoflavone treated rats CL was much higher but in principle the same kinetic characteristics could be shown. All results on microsomes were obtained uniformly with the liquid scintillation counter and the Berthold luminometer, the letter being much more effective and more sensitive.

Qualitative and quantitative changes in hepatic lipoprotein particles following acute injury of the rat liver induced by thioacetamide

SummaryAcute intoxication of the rat liver with a single dose of 100 mg thioacetamide (TAA)/kg body weight causes within 48 h a fatty liver and a heterogeneous reaction in the hepatocytes. This affects principally the centrilobular liver parenchymal cells (zone 3) and to a lesser extent the periportal ones (zone 1). Ultrastructural analysis was performed to determine to what extent the formation of lipid-carrying particles of the very low density type (VLDL) is changed in affected hepatocytes in zones 1 and 3. Being morphologically the most conspicuous site of VLDL processing, the Golgi complex was chosen for quantitation by measuring its volume, VLDL content and particle size. The concentration and composition of the liver lipids were determined, biochemically. After TAA treatment of the liver the number of Golgi-VLDL particles is significantly reduced to about 50% in both the lobular zones examined. In addition, distinct classes of size-modified Golgi-VLDL particles appear which show an abnormally wide size distribution pattern. In periportal hepatocytes the size distribution of Golgi-VLDL particles shows a clear shift towards smaller particles homogeneous in size (mean diameter 39 nm). In contrast, centrilobular hepatocytes contain particles of very heterogeneous size, the mean diameter of which is nearly doubled (77 nm). The decrease in VLDL particle number and their size modification induced by TAA is not accompanied by significant changes in the volume of the Golgi complex. Biochemical analysis showed that the accumulation of lipids in the TAA-treated liver, mainly evident morphologically as drop-like deposits in the central area of the liver lobules, is due to an increase in triglycerides (TG) by 23 μmol/g liver wet weight, which represents nearly 95% of the accumulated lipids. Despite the striking elevation of the absolute cholesterol ester (CHOL-E) content (2μmol/g liver wet weight), this corresponds to only 5% of the newly accumulated lipids.Our electron optical and biochemical results support the suggestion that, in spite of the markedly different intralobular reaction of TAA-intoxicated hepatocytes, the formation of triglyceride-carrying particles is altered significantly in both lobular zones examined.

Expression of tenascin, fibronectin, and laminin in rat liver fibrogenesis : a comparative immunohistochemical study with two models of liver injury

The aim of this study was to follow semiquantitatively by immunohistochemical means the alterations of the expression of the hepatic glycoproteins tenascin, fibronectin, and laminin in two different models of chronic liver injury, i.e. thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis and fibrosis after bile duct ligation. The tenascin distribution pattern observed during cholostasis-induced liver fibrosis showed some similarities, but also some differences in comparison with the results obtained after TAA intoxication. Most importantly, the data show that tenascin staining was detectable in almost all areas of the chronically injured livers up to 3 and 6 months in bile duct-ligated and chemically-injured livers, respectively. Thus, tenascin does not seem to play only a transient role in the fibrogenetic process as previously suggested. Laminin was strongly stained in proliferating ductules, whereas only a weak continuous distribution was observed along the sinusoidal wall. Furthermore, our findings confirm the role of fibronectin as a pacemaker of fibrosis. Regional differences in the kinetics of the expression of the glycoproteins may reflect local differences in their production by parenchymal or non parenchymal cells or regional patterns of proteolytic activity.

Phagocytic function and metabolite production in thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis: a comparative study in perfused livers and cultured Kupffer cells

BACKGROUND/AIMS The aim of the study presented here was to evaluate the basal and stimulated phagocytic activities and the metabolite production of isolated perfused livers, and also the phagocytic capacity of cultured Kupffer cells from rats with macronodular cirrhosis. METHODS Rats were made cirrhotic by oral administration of thioacetamide. The phagocytic activity was assessed by the rate of removal of colloidal carbon. The Kupffer cells were prepared by a pronase/collagenase digestion method followed by elutriation. RESULTS The phagocytic activity and production of glucose, lactate and pyruvate were reduced in cirrhotic livers when calculated per g liver. Due to hyperplastic-regenerative processes the mass of the cirrhotic livers was markedly augmented so that the colloidal carbon uptake calculated per cirrhotic liver was not significantly different from the controls. Colloidal carbon-induced glucose release increased more markedly in the controls than in cirrhotic livers. Isoproterenol considerably stimulated phagocytosis and glucose production in controls, whereas the response was clearly reduced in cirrhotic livers when calculated either per g liver or per total liver weight. The cyclic AMP analogue elicited a marked glycogenolytic response in the controls, whereas there was only a slight increase in glucose production in cirrhotic livers. Phagocytosis of cirrhotic livers was only moderately stimulated by opsonized zymosan when compared with the controls. Freshly isolated Kupffer cells exhibited a reduced phagocytic activity. Stimulation by zymosan was observed only in cell suspensions of the controls. In contrast, Kupffer cells from cirrhotic livers did not differ from controls with respect to basal or zymosan-stimulated phagocytic activity after 48-h cultivation. CONCLUSION The stimulated phagocytic function was disturbed in perfused macronodular-cirrhotic livers as compared to controls. In contrast, 48-h cultured Kupffer cells from cirrhotic livers exhibited the same basal and stimulated phagocytic capacity as controls. The glucose release from perfused livers, initiated by stimulation of Kupffer cells or hepatocytes, was significantly reduced in cirrhotic livers. Therefore, we postulate an impaired intra- and/or intercellular signalling in macronodular-cirrhotic livers.

Chronic liver injury alters basal and stimulated nitric oxide production and 3H-thymidine incorporation in cultured sinusoidal endothelial cells from rats.

BACKGROUND/AIM Under pathological conditions the nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-mediated nitric oxide production of sinusoidal endothelial cells might be altered. Therefore, studies were performed to evaluate the nitrite formation by cultured sinusoidal endothelial cells from rat livers chronically injured by thioacetamide and the effect of endogenously or exogenously generated nitric oxide on their proliferative activity. METHODS Basal and stimulated nitrite formation, expression of NOS and DNA synthesis were examined in sinusoidal endothelial cells isolated and cultivated from livers with incipient or advanced chemically-induced cirrhosis. RESULTS Cultured sinusoidal endothelial cells from injured livers exhibited a reduced basal and an increased lipopolysaccharide-stimulated nitrite production when compared with controls. Western blot analysis revealed a markedly reduced protein expression of endothelial NOS (eNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) in sinusoidal endothelial cells from both experimental groups when compared with controls. Lipopolysaccharide stimulated iNOS expression in sinusoidal endothelial cells from control livers only marginally, and from those with cirrhosis more strongly. There was no clear correlation between the amount of enzyme and nitrite formation. Cultured sinusoidal endothelial cells from livers with incipient cirrhosis showed a higher proliferative activity than controls. Endogenously-produced nitric oxide inhibited DNA synthesis in all groups in a cGMP-independent way. Exogenously-generated nitric oxide affected DNA synthesis differently in sinusoidal endothelial cells from controls and injured livers. CONCLUSION The results provide evidence that cultured sinusoidal endothelial cells from controls and livers with incipient or advanced cirrhosis differ with respect to basal and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated nitrite production. The data can be taken as evidence that in sinusoidal endothelial cells from livers chronically injured by thioacetamide, eNOS and iNOS are aberrantly expressed and differently regulated.