Protective Effects of Dimethyl-4,4'-Dimethoxy-5,6,5',6'-Dimethylene Dioxybiphenyl-2,2'-Dicarboxylate on Damages of Isolated Rat Hepatocytes Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride and D-galactosamine

The protective effect of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB) on chemically induced damages was studied in isolated suspended rat hepatocytes. The experimental results showed that DDB (200μg/106 cells) efficiently protected the hepatocytes against carbon tetrachloride (CC14 10 mrnol.L-1) and D-galactosamine (1 mmol.L-1) induced damages. Membranal lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA formation) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) release from the hepatocytes were markedly decreased. The damage of the cell surfaces of the hepatocytes were also reduced as seen under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Pretreatment with DDB (300 mg-kg-1) orally ameliorated the reduction of liver glycogen and blood glucose caused by ip injection of D-galactosamine (800 mg-kg-1) in mice. When normal rats were given DDB 300 mg-kg-1 once daily for 10 d, the free ribosomal protein and RNA in the liver increased significantly. These results indicate that DDB is of beneficial effects on both damaged and normal hepatocytes.

Effect of Diallyl Trisulfide on Induction of UDS by Mutagenic Drugs in Primary Rat Hepatocytes

Mosl of anticancer drugs are mutagenic. A possible exeeption is diallyl .trisulfide(DAT ), a component of garlic. It is an antimutagenic anticunccr chemical although it ismainly uscd as antibiotic. Its modifying effeci on induction of UDS by mutagenicmitomycin C (MMC), cyclophosphamide (CP) and cis-diamine dichloroplatin (DDP) was invcstigiltcd with the UDS assay in the primary cultures of Wistar rat hepatocytes (hpc)using the autoradiographic technique. Resultsshowed that 1.0-4.0 nmol/ml of DAT didnot inducc UDS and that MMC, CP and DDP resulted in a significant induction ofdosc-dependent UDS. DAT enhanced induction of UDS by these drugs. A dose-effectrclationship was observed betwecn dose of DAT and enhancement of induction of UDS.Howcvcr, thc mcchanism of the enhancement is not clear.

Taurolithocholate impairs bile canalicular motility and canalicular bile secretion in isolated rat hepatocyte couplets

AIM: To investigate the effects of taurolithocholate (TLC)on the canalicular motility in isolated rat hepatocyte cou-plets (IRHC).METHODS: TLC was added to IRHC at concentrationsof 10 and 50 μmol/L, respectively. In each group, fi vetime-lapse movies containing 3 representative bile cana-liculi were taken under phase-contrast microscopy for12 h. The number of bile canalicular contractions andthe intervals between consecutive canalicular contrac-tions were calculated. Furthermore, the effects of TLC onIRHC were examined by transmission electron micros-copy.RESULTS: The bile canalicular contractions were spon-taneous and forceful in the controls. Active vesicularmovement was observed in the pericanalicular region.Immediately after the addition of TLC, the bile canaliculiwere deformed, and canalicular bile was incorporatedinto the vacuoles. The canaliculi were gradually dilated,and canalicular contractions were markedly inhibited byTLC. The vesicular movements became extremely slowin the pericanalicular region. The number of canalicularcontractions significantly decreased in the TLC-treatedgroups, as compared with that in the controls. The timeintervals were prolonged, as the TLC dosage increased,indicating that bile secretion into the canaliculi wasimpaired with TLC. Transmission electron microscopyrevealed the lamellar transformation of the canalicularmembranes in IRHC treated with TLC.CONCLUSION: TLC impairs both the bile canalicularcontractions and the canalicular bile secretion, possiblyby acting directly on the canalicular membranes in TLC-induced cholestasis.