Investigation of antiaromatase activity using hepatic microsomes of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Microsomal aromatase enzymes of humans and rats have been used in antiaromatase assays, but enzyme activity is species-specific. The current study extracted hepatic microsomes of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to investigate and compare the antiaromatase activity of chrysin, quercetin, and quercitrin. This activity was evaluated using a dibenzylfluorescein (DBF) assay. Results revealed that the age and body weight of Nile tilapia affected the yield of extracted microsomes. Extraction of hepatic microsomes of Nile tilapia was most effective when using a reaction medium with a pH of 8.0. A DBF assay using Nile tilapia microsomes revealed significant differences in levels of antiaromatase activity for chrysin, quercetin, and quercitrin. Chrysin was the most potent aromatase inhibitor, with an IC50 of 0.25 mg/mL. In addition, chrysin is an aromatase inhibitor that also inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells. Hepatic microsomes of Nile tilapia can be used to investigate and compare the antiaromatase activity of different compounds.

Autophagy regulates sphingolipid levels in the liver.

Sphingolipid levels are tightly regulated to maintain cellular homeostasis. During pathologic conditions such as in aging, inflammation, and metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, levels of some sphingolipids, including the bioactive metabolite ceramide, are elevated. Sphingolipid metabolism has been linked to autophagy, a critical catabolic process in both normal cell function and disease; however, the in vivo relevance of the interaction is not well-understood. Here, we show that blocking autophagy in the liver by deletion of the Atg7 gene, which is essential for autophagosome formation, causes an increase in sphingolipid metabolites including ceramide. We also show that overexpression of serine palmitoyltransferase to elevate de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis induces autophagy in the liver. The results reveal autophagy as a process that limits excessive ceramide levels and that is induced by excessive elevation of de novo sphingolipid synthesis in the liver. Dysfunctional autophagy may be an underlying mechanism causing elevations in ceramide that may contribute to pathogenesis in diseases.

Activity of immobilised rat hepatic microsomal CYP2E1 using alumina membrane as a support.

Porous alumina membranes are attractive materials for the construction of biosensors and also have utility for the production of immobilised enzyme bioreactors. Microsomes from rat liver were adsorbed onto alumina membrane activated by silane. Microsomal membranes were pumped through the channels where they became immobilised by binding to amine groups on the surface of the alumina membrane. In an effort to gain a quantitative understanding of the effects of microsomal film growth on enzyme activity, we compared the para-nitrophenol (pNP) hydroxylase activity of the microsomes by varying the amount of microsomes fixed in alumina microchannels. The alumina membrane was placed in a fluidic device at a fast flow that afforded short residence time (seconds) to obtain transformation of pNP to 4-nitrocatechol (pNC), which was detected by LC-MS/MS. This enabled the use of this bioreactor where CYP2E1 activity is low and tissue sources are limiting. The microsomes, successfully immobilised on the alumina membranes, were used to produce stable biocatalytic reactors that can be used repeatedly over a period of 2 months.

Stabilization of mitochondrial and microsomal function by polysaccharide of Ulva lactuca on D-Galactosamine induced hepatitis in rats.

In this study we used liver mitochondrial and microsomal fraction from rats pretreated with seaweed Ulva lactuca polysaccharide extract (ULP - 200mg/kg body weight, daily for 21 days, oral gavage) on D-Galactosamine (500mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) challenge. Effectiveness of ULP was determined based on functional status of trichloro acetic acid (TCA), urea cycle, and microsomal enzymes. The composition of sulfate polysaccharide content such as total sugars, sulfate and uronic acid were examined. In addition the fine ultra structural changes were examined using electron microscopy (EM). We observed significant (p<0.001) mitochondrial and microsomal abnormalities during liver damage by D-Galactosamine, consequently altering enzymes of energy metabolism. Electron microscopy of D-Galactosamine intoxicated rat liver tissue revealed the swelling and loss of mitochondrial cristae. Conversely the rats pretreated with ULP against D-Galactosamine challenge prevented (p<0.05) the significant abnormality of TCA, microsomal enzymes and severity of mitochondria as observed in EM study in rats injected with D-Galactosamine alone. However no effective prevention was observed in urea cycle enzymes among D-Galactosamine and treatment group rats. These results showed the effectiveness of ULP in stabilizing the functional status of mitochondrial and microsomal membrane which might be due to the presence of sulfated polysaccharide that could prevented the oxidative stress induced by D-Galactosamine intoxication.

Development of immobilization technique for liver microsomes.

In the present report, physically adsorbed rat liver microsomes were used in order to optimize the immobilization of membrane proteins on solid surfaces for use in biosensing and microreactor applications. Physical adsorption was used to form thin films on solid supports (gold, mica, macroporous aluminum oxide membrane). The characterization of the films was performed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Commercially available macroporous aluminium oxide membranes with a high surface area, allow the retention of a high amount of microsomal membranes in the form of a thin film. Microsomal film functionality was tested by monitoring the activities of several enzymes of phases I and II. Microsomal modified supports can be re-utilized for the same or different substrate after washing with appropriate buffer.

Intraluminal hydrogen peroxide induces a permeability change of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.

Gulonolactone treatment of mice resulted in the elevation of hepatic ascorbate and hydrogen peroxide levels accompanied by transient liver swelling and reversible dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum cisternae. Although a decrease in glutathione (reduced form)/total glutathione ratio was observed in microsomes, the redox state of luminal foldases remained unchanged and the signs of endoplasmic reticulum stress were absent. Increased permeability of the microsomal membrane to various compounds of low molecular weight was substantiated. It is assumed that Gulonolactone-dependent luminal hydrogen peroxide formation in the endoplasmic reticulum provokes a temporary increase in non-selective membrane permeability, which results in the dilation of the organelle and in enhanced transmembrane fluxes of small molecules.

Subcellular fractionation and proteomics of nuclear envelopes.

Because of its many connections to other cell systems, the nuclear envelope (NE)is essentially impossible to purify to homogeneity. To circumvent these problems, we developed a subtractive proteomics approach in which the fraction of interest and a fraction known to contaminate the fraction of interest are separately analyzed, and proteins identified in both fractions are subtracted from the data set. This requires that the contaminating fraction can be purified to homogeneity. In this case, microsomal membranes (MMs) are used to represent endoplasmic reticulum contamination, allowing the identification of transmembrane proteins specific to the NE. To circumvent problems commonly associated with analyzing membrane proteins, the multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) proteomics methodology is employed.

The prediction of the hepatic clearance of tanshinone IIA in rat liver subcellular fractions: accuracy improvement.

The in vivo hepatic clearance of tanshinone IIA in the rat was predicted using microsome, cytosol and S9 fractions combined with two different cofactor systems, NADPH-regenerating and UDPGA system. Two different models, the well stirred model and the parallel-tube model, were used in predicting the in vivo clearance in the rat. The in vivo clearance of tanshinone IIA was acquired from a pharmacokinetic study in rat. The results show that the prediction accuracy acquired from the microsome combined with the NADPH is poor. The in vivo clearance in the rat is almost 32 fold higher than the clearance predicted in microsome. The predicted clearance of the S9 model combined with both NADPH and UDPGA system is about 4 fold lower than the in vivo clearance. The predicted clearance of the cytosol combined with the two cofactor system is about 7 fold lower than the in vivo clearance. Although the prediction accuracy acquired from the S9 and cytosol system is not perfect, the prediction accuracy is improved in these two incubation systems. Using S9 combined with both the phase I and phase II metabolism can improve the prediction accuracy.

Influence of freezing and low molecular weight cryoprotectants on microsomal membrane structure: a study by multiparametric fluorescent probe.

The influence of low molecular weight cryoprotectants (CPs) such as glycerol (GL), 1,2-propanediol (PD) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on the structure of rat liver microsomal membranes on the stages of equilibration and upon freezing up to -196 degrees C was studied using a multiparametric fluorescent probe of flavonol nature. It was estimated that the studied CPs have individual concentration ranges defining low amplitude of their action on biomembranes. An exceeding of these ranges strongly increases the violation of membrane native structure already at the stage of incubation with CPs, strengthening it during the freezing procedure. According to the perturbation effect on microsomal membranes the studied CPs can be arranged in a sequence: DMSO>PD>GL.

Electron paramagnetic resonance decay constant and oxidative stresses in liver microsomes of the selenium-deficient rat.

The free radical-reducing activity and the membrane fluidity of liver microsomes from selenium-deficient (SeD) rats were examined by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin label method using nitroxyl-labeled stearic acids. Our findings show that the membrane fluidity and lipid peroxidation levels in SeD rat liver microsome were relatively unchanged compared with normal rat. In contrast, SeD caused the induction of liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 activity. The nitroxyl spin probes are substrates for reduction-relating cytochrome P-450. Previous in vivo studies suggested that the total liver free radical reduction activity in SeD rat was decreased. In contrast, SeD caused the induction of liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 activity, and the reduction rate of nitroxyl radical existing at shallow depth in membrane was increased. Selenium-deficient rats experienced an increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) due to a pronounced loss of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. This masked the overall reduction rate of the nitroxyl spin probe by reoxidation of the hydroxylamine form. Although the SeD condition caused induction of liver cytochrome P-450 and chronic increased H2O2, this did not result in oxidative liver damage. An increased level of glutathione in SeD liver was also evident, likely due to the absence of GSH-Px activity. Using the EPR spin label method, we have shown that SeD causes complicated redox changes in the liver, notably, alterations in the levels of cytochrome P-450 and GSH-Px systems.

Application of high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry to measure microsomal membrane transport of glucuronides.

A primary reason for poor characterization of microsomal transport to date is the limitations of the measurement techniques used. Radiodetection provides sufficient sensitivity, but it can be applied only when labeled analogue is available. In this article, we report the novel application of high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in "rapid filtration" transport assays. The method was developed using glucuronides, but it is adaptable to any compound that can be measured with LC-MS/MS. Because of the high sensitivity and accuracy of this detection technique, the substrates can be used at their physiological concentration in the experiments. The new methodology does not require radiolabeling, so it remarkably widens the range of possible substrates to investigate and allows simultaneous detection as well as monitoring of substrate stability during the experiments.

Antioxidant effect of ferulic acid in isolated membranes and intact cells: synergistic interactions with alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and ascorbic acid.

Although an antioxidant mechanism has been involved in the beneficial effects of ferulic acid in human diseases, there are few reports on the antioxidant properties of this compound in isolated membranes and intact cells. Here, we evaluated the ability of ferulic acid in inhibiting lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomal membranes and reactive oxygen species production in NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, induced by both tert-BOOH and AAPH. We also compared its antioxidant efficiency with that of other antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and ascorbic acid, added alone or in combination. Ferulic acid acted as a potent antioxidant in our models, being more effective in protecting from tert-BOOH than from AAPH. Moreover, the compound was the most effective among the antioxidants tested. Synergistic interactions were observed when the compound was used in combination with the other antioxidants, suggesting that they can cooperate in preserving physiological integrity of cells exposed to free radicals.

Mechanism of impairment of cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism in hamster liver during leishmaniasis.

The mechanism of impairment of cytochrome P450 (P450)-dependent metabolism in hamster liver during leishmaniasis is reported. A significant decrease in the level of P450 was observed on the 20th day of infection when the parasite load in the liver was maximum. The decrease in P450 level was accompanied by a significant increase in the level of marker enzymes of liver and degeneration of liver tissue. The impairment was isozyme-specific and concomitant with the induction of nitric oxide synthase. The results of in vitro experiments with generated nitric oxide and with scavengers demonstrated that the impairment is mediated by NO. Treatment of the infected animals with a combination therapy showed reduction in parasite load, reversal of P450 impairment, and recovery of liver enzymes and tissue close to normal.

Endothelial cell injury and coagulation system activation during synergistic hepatotoxicity from monocrotaline and bacterial lipopolysaccharide coexposure.

A small, noninjurious dose of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 7.4 x 106 EU/kg) administered 4 h after a small, nontoxic dose of monocrotaline (MCT; 100 mg/kg) produces synergistic hepatotoxicity in rats within 6 to 12 h after MCT exposure. The resulting centrilobular (CL) and midzonal (MZ) liver lesions are characterized by hepatic parenchymal cell (HPC) necrosis. Pronounced hemorrhage, disruption of sinusoidal architecture, and loss of central vein intima suggest that an additional component to injury may be the liver vasculature. In the present investigation, the hypothesis that sinusoidal endothelial cell (SEC) injury and coagulation system activation occur in this model was tested. Plasma hyaluronic acid (HA) concentration, a biomarker for SEC injury, was significantly increased in cotreated animals before the onset of HPC injury and remained elevated through the time of maximal HPC injury (i.e., 18 h). SEC injury was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Pyrrolic metabolites were produced from MCT by SECs in vitro, which suggests that MCT may injure SECs directly through the formation of its toxic metabolite, monocrotaline pyrrole. Inasmuch as SEC activation and injury can promote hemostasis, activation of the coagulation system was evaluated. Coagulation system activation, as marked by a decrease in plasma fibrinogen, occurred before the onset of HPC injury. Furthermore, extensive fibrin deposition was observed immunohistochemically within CL and MZ regions after MCT/LPS cotreatment. Taken together, these results suggest that SEC injury and coagulation system activation are components of the synergistic liver injury resulting from MCT and LPS coexposure.

[Dynamics of structural changes in rat liver after single dose of gamma-irradiation]. / Dinamika strukturnykh izmenenii v pecheni krys posle odnokratnogo vozdeistviia gamma-izlucheniia.

Histological changes and alterations in biophysical and biochemical parameters in liver of gamma-irradiate rats have been investigated. The gamma-irradiation of the whole body of rats with a single dose of 1 Gy did not cause any impairments of beam structure of rat liver, but resulted in the lymphocytic infiltrations of portal tracts which were not accompanied by formation of spotty areas of necrosis in adjacent areas of lever parenchyma. gamma-Irradiation stimulated proliferation of the hepatocytes and induced time-dependent mitochondrial structure lesions. Post-irradiation changes in cell cytoplasm appeared as disordering in reticulum-endothelial system, among them enlarging and fragmentation of its cisterns, cytoplasmic vacuolization, enhancement of the number of lysosomes and of the lipid inclusion contents. These facts revealed the mobilization of the additional energy resources for recovery of metabolic processes in rat liver. Post-irradiation increase of the level of the hepatocyte membrane lipid peroxidation products preceded liver morphological alterations. The membrane lipid microviscosity decreased in 1 and 3 days after irradiation. As a result of damages of hepatocyte membrane, the activity of the alanin- and asparagin-aminotransferases in blood serum increased 6 hours after. We can conclude that the whole body single gamma-irradiation with a dose of 1 Gy leads to the reversible but significant damages to the rat liver cell membrane structures. These damages might be the reason of radiation-induced liver morphological alterations.

Vitellogenin precursors in the liver of the oviparous lizard, Podarcis sicula.

In reptiles, as in the other oviparous vertebrates, vitellogenin (VTG) synthesis is stimulated in the liver by ovarian estrogens. In this article, the presence of VTG precursors was detected in liver subcellular fractions of the oviparous lizard, Podarcis sicula, in the reproductive period. The rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and the smooth microsomal fraction (SMF), which includes smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex, were separated by means of two different sucrose gradients. The successful separation was controlled at the electron microscope. The contents of the different compartments were extracted by means of n-octyl-beta-D-glucopiranoside detergent and subjected to SDS-PAGE. Western Blotting with homologous anti/VTG antibody revealed two immunoreactive proteins of about 84 and 70 kDa in the RER, and four proteins of about 180, 150, 60, 50 kDa in the SMF; all these proteins appeared phosphorylated and glycosylated. The differences in the molecular weight of these VTG precursors are discussed.

Isolation of peroxisomal subpopulations from mouse liver by immune free-flow electrophoresis.

Peroxisomes (PO) are a heterogeneous population of cell organelles which in mammals are most abundant in liver and kidney. Commonly, differential and density gradient centrifugation are used for their isolation which, however, give only rise to the so-called "heavy" PO with a buoyant density of 1.22-1.24 g/cm(3). Subpopulations other than the heavy PO which are also present in both of these tissues have escaped adequate purification because of their sedimentation characteristics which are close to those of other major organelles, in particular microsomes. Since the purification of these subpopulations has become an essential task in view of the putative importance of peroxisomal subpopulations in the biogenesis of this organelle, alternatives to density gradient centrifugation are required. Recently, we have introduced such a novel approach, named immune free flow electrophoresis (IFFE). IFFE combines the advantages of eletrophoretic separation with the high selectivity of an immune reaction. It makes use of the fact that the electrophoretic mobility of a subcellular particle, complexed with an antibody directed against the cytoplasmic domain of one of its integral membrane proteins is greatly diminished, provided the pH of the electrophoresis buffer is adjusted to pH approximately 8.0, the pI of immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules. pH-values other than 8.0 proved to be less efficient, probably because IgG molecules only focus at pH 8.0 but are scattered at any other. Applying IFFE to heavy and light mitochondrial as well as microsomal fractions of rat liver not only regular PO (rho = 1.22-1.24 g/cm(3)) but also other subpopulations could be isolated. To substantiate the validity of this approach, we now have subfractionated mouse liver homogenates accordingly. Of the PO subpopulations collected, mainly that obtained from the heavy mitochondrial fraction differed in its composition of matrix and membrane proteins as revealed by immunoblotting. This is in line with the data reported on rat liver thus confirming the potential of IFFE in the isolation of distinct subpopulations of hepatic PO.

[Examining the properties of hepatic cytosol and the efficiency of its use in the Biological Support Liver apparatus]. / Issledovanie svoistv tsitozolia pecheni i éffektivnosti sposoba ego ispol'zovaniia v apparate "Biologicheskaia vspomogatel'naia pechen'".

Clinical trials showed the minimum efficiency of various detoxifying methods (dialysis, charcoal adsorption, plasma exchange) in terms survival in acute hepatic insufficiency. Attempts were made to provide hepatic functions through ex vivo perfusion of the whole liver and tissue sections, but these methods remain a challenge to immune responses and blood clotting. This led to the development of the extracorporeal liver support systems and early clinical results encouraged further work in this area. The liver support system consists of a bioreactor containing a liver homogenate, a transfer mechanism, and a dialyzer that connects 2 closed contours. The apparatus is connected to the patient's blood system by means of an arteriovenous or venovenous shunt. The contact time of a liver homogenate and a patient's blood in the dialyzer and the diffusion rate of molecules of chemical substances determine the detoxifying and metabolic effects. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that the detoxifying activation method has high effects (increased biotransformation, decreased blood ammonia levels), decreases the intensity of pathological processes, normalizes blood components (higher levels of ATP, glucose, amino acids, vitamin C). Model and experimental studies of the efficiency of the method lead to the conclusion that it is expedient to apply it in medical practice.

Incorporation of 1-(14)C linoleic acid in rat liver nuclei and chromatin fractions.

The incorporation of 1-(14)C linoleic acid in several chromatin fractions of rat liver nuclei was investigated using two different procedures: (1) rat liver nuclei were incubated with ATP, CoASH, Mg(++) and 1-(14)C linoleic acid. After 40 min at 37 degrees C the chromatin obtained by sonication of nuclei suspended in 0.25 M sucrose was fractionated by differential sedimentation; (2) chromatin fractions obtained by differential sedimentation were incubated separately with ATP, CoASH, Mg(++) and 1-(14)C linoleic acid 40 min at 37 degrees C in order to characterize the fatty acid incorporation in isolated chromatin. A comparative study of the incorporation of 1-(14)C linoleic acid in microsomes and nuclei isolated from rat liver is also presented for the purpose of comparison. Linoleic acid was incorporated into nuclear lipids as well as in chromatin fractions. The fatty acid incorporation was stimulated considerably in the acylation system when compared to control, it appears to be highly dependent on the state of condensation of chromatin, being barely detectable in the lowest density fraction. The major proportion of 1-(14)C linoleic acid was found in phospholipids and in a lesser proportion it remained esterified to triglycerides and cholesteryl esters. The distribution of radioactivity in different classes of phospholipids present in microsomes and nuclei isolated from rat liver, showed a similar profile of distribution. The major proportion of radioactivity, approximately 50% was found in phosphatidylcholine and in a lesser proportion in sphingomyelin, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine. When chromatin fractions were incubated separately, it was observed that the major proportion of 1-(14)C linoleic acid in phospholipids was found in heavy chromatin fractions whereas low density chromatin fraction only incorporated in a lesser proportion.