Polybrominated biphenyls are nongenotoxic and produce an epigenetic membrane effect in cultured liver cells

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) were studied for their genotoxic and epigenetic effects in cultured liver cells. PBB did not elicit DNA repair synthesis in rat, mouse, or hamster hepatocytes in primary cultures and did not cause mutations at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase locus in a line of rat liver epithelial cells or in human fibroblasts cocultivated with rat hepatocytes as an activating system. In contrast, PBB inhibited intercellular molecular exchange between rat hepatocytes and liver epithelial cells indicating an epigenetic membrane effect. These data are consistent with the interpretation that PBB act as neoplasm promoters in the production of rodent liver neoplasms.     

Self-regulating factor present in culture supernatants of regenerating hepatocytes in adult rats

The auto-regulation mechanism of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy was investigated in rats. Hepatocytes isolated from the individual remnant livers at various times after 70% removal of the liver were cultured, and determination of DNA synthesis of the cultured hepatocytes and collection of culture supernatants were performed. The maximum value of DNA synthesis was observed at 1 day after the operation and then gradually decreased, and the liver weights recovered rapidly during 2-4 days. The culture supernatants harvested from these primary cultured hepatocytes isolated from the rats at 2, 3 and 4 days after the operation suppressed dose-dependently DNA synthesis of hepatocytes which were isolated from normal rats and stimulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin in vitro. The supernatants were non-cytotoxic against hepatocytes, and the activity of them was fairly stable for acid and heat treatments but not for proteolytic enzyme. No inhibition of the binding of EGF to the receptors on hepatocytes was observed. Furthermore, the factor showed an inhibitory activity of mitogen-induced DNA synthesis of human peripheral blood lymphocytes in culture. These results suggested that hepatocytes themselves might modulate the process of liver regeneration by secreting a growth inhibitory factor.     

大鼠体外多器官细胞共培养模型的建立

目的 建立大鼠体外多器官细胞共培养方法.方法 采用胶原酶消化法、支气管灌洗分离法、两步消化法等方法分离大鼠原代肝细胞、肾细胞、心肌细胞、肺泡巨噬细胞和真皮成纤维细胞,用锥虫蓝染色法检测细胞分离成活率,用单层贴壁法分别培养;采用飞片法,将5种细胞的飞片放入同一培养皿,用体积分数为10%的FBS DMEM培养基培养7 d,用噻唑蓝(MTT)比色法比较原代细胞在单独培养和共培养时的生长情况.结果 建立的大鼠原代肝细胞、肾细胞、心肌细胞、肺泡巨噬细胞、真皮成纤维细胞分离方法稳定,细胞分离成活率均达90%,其中胶原酶消化法培养肝细胞的存活率达90.3%,两步消化法培养肾细胞的细胞存活率达91.9%,心肌细胞的胶原酶消化法细胞存活率达93.0%.3～15 d的心肌细胞搏动频率比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),差速贴壁法培养的肺泡巨噬细胞存活率可达90.8%,以胶原酶消化法培养的原代真皮细胞存活率达92.7%,细胞生长状态良好.5种原代细胞的多器官细胞共培养结果显示,共培养时细胞生长增殖情况良好,单独培养与共培养细胞生长曲线基本重合.结论 所建立的大鼠多器官细胞共培养方法是成功的.     

Activity of human volunteer sera to candidate Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein vaccines in the inhibition of sporozoite invasion assay of human hepatoma cells and hepatocytes

Sera from human volunteers immunized with either synthetic peptide (NANP)3-TT or recombinant protein R32tet32 Plasmodium falciparum CS vaccines were tested in the inhibition of sporozoite invasion (ISI) assays using human hepatoma (HepG2-A16) cells or primary human hepatocytes. Sera or purified immunoglobulin (Ig) from volunteers who were completely protected against P. falciparum sporozoite challenge had higher ISI activity than sera from non-protected volunteers, or the highest titre endemic serum. However, Ig from protected and non-protected volunteers did not block sporozoite invasion of human hepatocytes, suggesting that P. falciparum sporozoites invade hepatocytes by mechanisms which differ from those concerned with invasion of HepG2-A16 cells.     

IDENTIFICATION OF MATURATION-RELATED WHEAT-GERM LECTIN-BINDING PROTEINS IN THE CULTURE OF HUMAN CORPUS EPIDIDYMAL EPITHELIAL CELLS

This study is designed to investigate the synthesis of maturation-related wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding glycoproteins in the human corpus epididymal epithelial cells by in vitro culture. Epithelial cells were isolated from the corpus of human epididymides and cultured with RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum in type IV collagen-coated dishes at 37°C. The epithelial nature, presence of fibroblasts, WGA-binding sites, and existence of GP-83 were determined by an indirect immunocytochemical and histochemical staining technique. Proteins in the cultured cells were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. After culturing for 10 days, the cells were shown to be positive with epithelial cell-specific keratins but devoid of fibroblasts. WGA-binding granules and positive binding sites of GP-83 were also detected in the cytoplasm. Immunoblots of cell extracts probed with the anti-GP-83 antibody from seminal fluid revealed the sperm maturation-related glycoprotein GP-83. The results indicate that WGA-binding proteins may be synthesized by the corpus epididymal epithelial cells of human and GP-83 may play an important role in sperm maturation. This culture model may be suitable for the investigation on the biosynthesis and physiology of human epididymal principal cells in vitro.     

乙醇对铁过载大鼠肝细胞脂质过氧化和胶原代谢的影响

目的：研究乙醇对铁过载大鼠肝原代细胞脂质过氧化反应和胶原合成的影响。探讨铁和乙醇在诱导肝细胞脂质过氧化反应时的相互关系，以及脂质过氧化反应对胶原合成的影响。方法：在饲料中添加３％（ｗ／ｗ）的Ｃａｒｂｏｎｙｌｉｒｏｎ造成铁过载动物模型，从铁过载大鼠和正常大鼠中分离来的肝原代细胞与不同浓度的乙醇（０、２５、５０、１００ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ）及０．５ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ去铁敏（ｄｅｓｆｅｒｏｘａｍｉｎｅ）共同培养２４小时。测定肝组织和细胞中铁含量，肝细胞成活率，肝细胞中脂质过氧化产物丙二醛（ＭＤＡ），还原型谷胱甘肽（ＧＳＨ）、羟脯氨酸含量。结果：铁过载组肝细胞铁含量明显高于对照组，而从铁过载组分离来的肝细胞随乙醇剂量的增加细胞中ＭＤＡ、羟脯氨酸含量增加、ＧＳＨ含量下降，加入０．５ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ去铁敏可有效地抑制此变化。结论：铁和乙醇在诱导肝细胞脂质过氧化反应时存在协同作用，肝细胞内铁含量增高可增加乙醇的肝细胞毒性，铁和乙醇诱导的脂质过氧化反应／产物可刺激肝细胞胶原的合成     

福建水华微囊藻粗毒素对原代培养大鼠肝细胞毒性作用的初步研究

[目的]用直接分离法进行大鼠肝细胞体外培养．研究微囊藻毒素的毒性。[方法]以大鼠作为肝细胞供体,用直接分离法制备肝细胞,进行原代培养后加入不同浓度的藻毒素;在培养的不同时期用台盼蓝排斥法计算贴壁的活细胞数及存活率,用倒置显微镜观察肝细胞形态变化。[结果]①不同浓度的藻毒索对大鼠肝细胞具有毒性作用,呈现出剂量一反应关系。②直接分离法可得到大量单个分散的肝细胞,细胞数量能够满足毒理学的实验要求,在41h内细胞生长较好,适于进行细胞毒理学的实验;65h后肝细胞功能和活力欠佳,不适于实验。[结论]微囊藻毒素对体外培养的肝细胞有毒性作用;直接分离法获取肝细胞进行原代培养的方法可用于短期细胞毒理学的实验研究。     

Synthesis of 4-hydroxycoumarin and 2,4-quinolinediol derivatives and evaluation of their effects on the viability of HepG2 cells and human hepatocytes culture

We report here the synthesis of aromatic coumarins and aromatic alpha-quinolones which were evaluated in vitro for their protective potentialities against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative damage on human liver cell death, i.e., human hepatoma HepG2 cell line and human hepatocytes in primary culture. We found that the presence of a benzylidene at the 3-position or a heterocycle with N and S heteroatoms on the benzopyrone or quinolone system was essential for the protective effect of these compounds against t-BHP-induced decrease in viability of cells. We found also that a methoxy group on the aromatic ring systems decreased this potential. t-BHP-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultures of human hepatocytes could be therefore prevented by these compounds suggesting that they could display hepatoprotective effects in humans.     

Antioxidative and apoptotic properties of polyphenolic extracts from edible part of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) on cultured rat hepatocytes and on human hepatoma cells

Cultured rat hepatocytes and human hepatoma HepG2 cells were used to evaluate the hepatoprotective properties of polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of artichoke (AE). The hepatocytes were exposed to H2O2generated in situ by glucose oxidase and were treated with either AE, or pure chlorogenic acid (ChA) or with the well known antioxidant, N, N'-diphenyl-p-phenilenediamine (DPPD). Addition of glucose oxidase to the culture medium caused depletion of intracellular glutathione (GSH) content, accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the cultures, as a lipid peroxidation indicator, and cell death. These results demonstrated that AE protected cells from the oxidative stress caused by glucose oxidase, comparable to DPPD. Furthermore, AE, as well as ChA, prevented the loss of total GSH and the accumulation of MDA. Treatment of HepG2 cells for 24 h with AE reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, however, ChA had no prominent effects on the cell death rate. Similarly, AE rather than ChA induced apoptosis, measured by flow cytometric analysis of annexin and by activation of caspase-3, in HepG2 cells. Our findings indicate that AE had a marked antioxidative potential that protects hepatocytes from an oxidative stress. Furthermore, AE reduced cell viability and had an apoptotic activity on a human liver cancer cell line.     

Subcellular location of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in hepatocytes from fed and starved rats

To evaluate published indications that about 25% of the gluconeogenic enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), is located in mitochondria of adult rat liver, cell fractionations were conducted with hepatocytes isolated from rats that were fed ad libitum or starved for 2 days. Hepatocytes were exposed to digitonin for 10 s, and the released materials were separated from residual cell structures by centrifugation through a layer of brominated hydrocarbon. In addition to PEPCK, activities of 9 other enzymes were measured in the untreated cells and with good recovery in the two fractions obtained with digitonin treatment. By comparison with the release of marker enzymes for the cytosol and mitochondria, the subcellular distribution of PEPCK was determined. With cells from either fed or 2-day-starved rats, this enzyme was released exactly like lactate dehydrogenase and within 2-3% of phosphoglycerate kinase and pyruvate kinase. These results indicate that, even after induction by starvation, at least 97% of PEPCK activity is located in the cytosol of rat liver.     

Accumulation and metabolism of iron-dextran by hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and endothelial cells in the neonatal pig liver

Treatment of newborn pigs with supplemental iron is a common procedure utilized to prevent neonatal anemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatic distribution and intracellular metabolism of iron-dextran, a widely used colloidal-iron-carbohydrate preparation. Piglets were injected intramuscularly with iron-dextran (50 mg Fe/kg body wt) at 1 d of age. Hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells (Kupffer cells and endothelial cells) were isolated from iron-treated and control (uninjected) piglets at 2, 6 and 11 d of age. The concentrations of iron, copper and zinc in isolated cells were determined by atomic-absorption spectroscopy. In addition, the quantities of ferritin-protein and ferritin-iron were measured by immunoelectrophoresis and ion-exchange chromatography, respectively. At 2 d of age, the concentration (microgram/mg cell protein) of iron was 5-, 62- and 54-fold higher in hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and endothelial cells, respectively, isolated from iron-treated piglets than from control piglets. Hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and endothelial cells accumulated ferritin in response to iron-dextran treatment. Higher concentrations of ferritin-protein and ferritin-iron were present in Kupffer cells and endothelial cells than in hepatocytes at all times after treatment with iron-dextran. The percentage of cellular iron that was associated with ferritin, however, was greater in hepatocytes than in sinusoidal cells. Iron accumulated by all three liver cell types was mobilized to extrahepatic sites. Slight alterations in zinc and copper status of liver cells were evident at 11 d of age as a result of iron treatment.     

Antioxidative and Apoptotic Properties of Polyphenolic Extracts from Edible Part of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) on Cultured Rat Hepatocytes and on Human Hepatoma Cells

Cultured rat hepatocytes and human hepatoma HepG2 cells were used to evaluate the hepatoprotective properties of polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of artichoke (AE). The hepatocytes were exposed to H₂O₂generated in situ by glucose oxidase and were treated with either AE, or pure chlorogenic acid (ChA) or with the well known antioxidant, N, N′-diphenyl-p-phenilenediamine (DPPD). Addition of glucose oxidase to the culture medium caused depletion of intracellular glutathione (GSH) content, accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the cultures, as a lipid peroxidation indicator, and cell death. These results demonstrated that AE protected cells from the oxidative stress caused by glucose oxidase, comparable to DPPD. Furthermore, AE, as well as ChA, prevented the loss of total GSH and the accumulation of MDA. Treatment of HepG2 cells for 24 h with AE reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, however, ChA had no prominent effects on the cell death rate. Similarly, AE rather than ChA induced apoptosis, measured by flow cytometric analysis of annexin and by activation of caspase-3, in HepG2 cells. Our findings indicate that AE had a marked antioxidative potential that protects hepatocytes from an oxidative stress. Furthermore, AE reduced cell viability and had an apoptotic activity on a human liver cancer cell line.     

Cloning of a fresh isolate of Plasmodium falciparum and drug sensitivity of the clones

A freshly isolated strain of Plasmodium falciparum was cloned by limited dilution using a co-culture of infected erythrocytes on monolayers of functionally active rodent hepatocytes. 15 clones were isolated, and the anti-malarial activity of chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine and halofantrine against the clones, the original isolate, and a culture-adapted isolate was determined using a 48 h radioisotope microdilution method. The multiplication rates of all clones and the culture-adapted isolate were estimated by counting the number of parasitized cells on Giemsa-stained thin smears. Variations found in drug sensitivity and multiplication rate of different clones provided strong evidence of heterogeneity of a single strain parasite population. No morphological variation was detected by light microscopy. The use of a hepatocyte feeder layer improved the adaptation of cloned parasites to continuous culture conditions and thus enabled us to clone directly a fresh isolate, without losing clones during the culture-adaptation process.     

The complete development in vitro of the vertebrate phase of the mammalian malarial parasite Plasmodium berghei

All three 'vertebrate' stages of the rodent malarial parasite Plasmodium berghei berghei were grown in vitro in the absence of the vertebrate host. The parasite was introduced into culture from infected mosquitoes and 2 in vitro culture methods were used sequentially to complete the 'vertebrate' phases of development in hepatoma and erythrocyte host cells. The resultant blood infection produced mature schizonts and male and female gametocytes. The protocol, which is now being extended to the human pathogen P. falciparum, may assist future studies on this important group of parasites.     

Metabolism of arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids in HepG2 cells and rat hepatocytes.

The metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was examined in HepG2 cells, a human hepatoma cell line, and rat hepatocytes. The AA level in HepG2 cells was lower than in rat hepatocytes and incorporation of AA into HepG2 was also smaller than into rat hepatocytes. Both cells could not increase the level of cellular DHA by the addition of exogenous 22:5 (n-3); whereas, rat hepatocytes, but not HepG2 cells, increased the levels of AA from 20:3 (n-6) and EPA from 20:4 (n-3). In both cells, retroconversion of AA to 20:3 (n-6) occurred, but EPA was not retroconverted to 20:4 (n-3). These results suggested that the levels of AA and DHA in both types of cells, were regulated more severely than EPA and that the activity of fatty acid desaturation might be different between n-6 and n-3 families.     

高原猪肝细胞生物反应器的生物学活性

目的 了解在高原环境下,培养球形聚集体猪肝细胞中空纤维型生物反应器的生物学活性特征,为构建高原体外生物人工肝提供实验依据.方法 采用已适应本地高原环境的长白仔猪,并分离其肝细胞,经体外球形聚集体培养2 d后,移入中空纤维型生物反应器外腔中,内腔以培养液循环,继续培养10 d,观察培养细胞形态,检测外腔培养液中的总蛋白、...     

Prostaglandin E2 is involved in the increase of cytochrome P-450 2B1 expression by alpha-tocopheryl succinate in primary rat hepatocytes in the presence of phenobarbital

The modulation of cytochrome P-450 2B1 expression by alpha-tocopheryl succinate and whether prostaglandin E2 is involved in this modulation in primary rat hepatocytes in the presence of phenobarbital were investigated. A primary rat hepatocyte culture model that faithfully reproduces the phenobarbital response observed in vivo was used. Intracellular alpha-tocopherol content was dose dependently increased by alpha-tocopheryl succinate incubation. Hepatocytes were demonstrated to have prostaglandin E2-synthesizing capability. alpha-Tocopheryl succinate inhibited prostaglandin E2 synthesis by hepatocytes and increased cytochrome P-450 2B1 expression in the presence of phenobarbital; however, it had little effect on intracellular cAMP level. To mimic the exogenous source of prostaglandin E2 from nonparenchymal cells, various concentrations of prostaglandin E2 were added to the cell culture. High doses of exogenous prostaglandin E2 (100 and 1,000 nM) inhibited the cytochrome P-450 2B1 expression in the presence of phenobarbital compared with low doses (1 and 10 nM); however, the presence of high doses of prostaglandin E2 had no effect on intracellular cAMP level. Forskolin significantly increased intracellular cAMP level and inhibited cytochrome P-450 2B1 expression in the presence of phenobarbital. The results of this study indicate that alpha-tocopheryl succinate increases cytochrome P-450 2B1 expression via its inhibition of prostaglandin E2 synthesis in the presence of phenobarbital; however, changes in intracellular cAMP level are not related to cytochrome P-450 2B1 expression.     

Synergistic effects of food colors on the toxicity of 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) in primary cultured rat hepatocytes

The synergistic effect of food additives or food colors on the toxicity of 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) was investigated using primary cultured rat hepatocytes. When hepatocytes from rats fed a standard diet were treated with a mixture of four major food additives (sorbitol, sodium L(+)-glutamate, benzoic acid, and propylene glycol) or a mixture of six typical artificial food colors (erythrosine, allura red, new coccine, brilliant blue, tertrazine, and fast green), the in vitro treated food-color mixture itself showed cytotoxicity: the reduction of cell viability and decreases in the activities of gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis. The food-color mixture enhanced cytotoxicity of Trp-P-1 obviously. We then investigated the effects of in vivo-dosed food additives or food colors on Trp-P-1-caused toxicity. Hepatocytes were isolated and cultured from rats fed a diet containing a mixture of food additives or a mixture of food colors with half the amount of their respective acceptable daily intake for 4 wk. Trp-P-1 was administered to the hepatocytes at various concentrations for 12 h. Synergistic effects of in vivo-dosed food additives and food colors were not observed on Trp-P-1-caused cytotoxicity as estimated by a loss of cell viability and the reductions of DNA and protein syntheses. On the contrary, we have observed that in vivo administered food colors synergistically facilitated to reduce the activities of gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis in Trp-P-1-treated hepatocytes. These results suggest that the daily intake of artificial food colors may impair hepatic functions such as gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis, when dietary carcinogens are exposed to the liver cells.     

Chronic ethanol consumption increases homocysteine accumulation in hepatocytes.

Results of previous studies have shown that chronic ethanol administration impairs methionine synthetase activity and decreases S-adenosylmethionine levels in the liver, indicating interference with homocysteine remethylation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of chronic ethanol feeding on the accumulation of homocysteine (Hcy), a potentially toxic agent. The research was divided into two experiments. In Experiment A, hepatocytes were isolated from pair-fed control and ethanol-fed rats after 2 weeks of feeding, and the release of Hcy into the medium was determined. Hepatocytes obtained from ethanol-fed rats released twice as much Hcy into the medium as did those obtained from controls. When hepatocytes were challenged by a methionine load, a marked increase in Hcy generation was observed, and the increase was further enhanced in hepatocytes obtained from ethanol-fed rats. In Experiment B, hepatocytes were isolated from pair-fed control and ethanol-fed rats after 4 weeks of feeding (the feeding time required for significant formation of alcoholic fatty liver in rats). In this experiment, similar results were obtained with Hcy generation as in Experiment A. In Experiment B, supplementation of the incubation medium with betaine prevented the increase in generation of Hcy by methionine-treated control cells as well as the generation of Hcy by cells of ethanol-treated rats. These results indicate that betaine may have the potential as a therapeutic agent against toxic Hcy formation.     

顺铂对大鼠肝细胞毒性及谷胱甘肽的保护作用

目的探讨顺铂对原代培养的大鼠肝细胞的毒性及谷胱甘肽对其影响.方法从大鼠的肝脏分离培养肝实质细胞接种于96孔培养板,培养3h后加入一系列浓度的顺铂,或在加入顺铂前16和4h,分别加入谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)合成抑制剂DL-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine(BSO)和GSH的前体物半胱氨酸,继续培养,分别在8,24和48 h 3个时间点用噻唑蓝(MTT)方法检测细胞存活率.结果顺铂对大鼠肝细胞有明显的毒性,在不同的时间点有各自的剂量-反应关系,顺铂对大鼠肝细胞在8,24和48 h 3个时间点半数抑制浓度(IC50)分别为1.13,0.21和0.15 mmol/L;BSO能使3组IC50均降低,分别为0.017,0.011和0.013 mmol/L,而半胱氨酸则可使3组IC50均升高,均大于5mmol/L.结论顺铂对大鼠肝细胞具有明显的毒性作用,且呈时间和剂量依赖关系;BSO可增强顺铂的肝细胞毒性,而半胱氨酸对顺铂引起的肝细胞毒性有保护作用,提示细胞内GSH对顺铂所致肝细胞毒性有保护作用.