Inhibition by colchicine of biliary secretion of diethylmaleate in the rat: evidence for microtubule-dependent vesicular transport

Laminar-flow immediate-overlay hepatocyte sandwich perfusion system for drug hepatotoxicity testing

Drug hepatotoxicity testing requires in vitro hepatocyte culture to maintain the long-term and stable liver specific functions. We developed a drug testing platform based on laminar-flow immediate-overlay hepatocyte sandwich perfusion culture. The immediate-overlay sandwich (collagen-coated porous polymeric membrane as top overlay) protects the cells and integrity of the top collagen matrix from the impact of flow. A bioreactor was designed that allowed proper control of shear stress and mass transfer. The culture parameters such as the optimal perfusion initiation time and flow rate were systematically and mechanistically determined. The optimized system could re-establish hepatocyte polarity to support biliary excretion and to maintain other liver specific functions, such as the biotransformation enzyme activities, for two weeks that extended the usable in vitro hepatocyte-based drug testing window. When the perfusion cultured hepatocytes from days 7 or 14 were used for drug testing, the APAP-induced hepatotoxicity measurements were more sensitive and consistent over time than the static culture control, enabling further exploitations in large-scale drug testing applications.

Consequences of abrupt glutathione depletion in murine Clara cells: ultrastructural and biochemical investigations into the role of glutathione loss in naphthalene cytotoxicity

Glutathione plays many critical roles within the cell, including offering protection from reactive chemicals. The bioactivated toxicant naphthalene forms chemically reactive intermediates that can deplete glutathione and covalently bind to cellular proteins. Naphthalene selectively injures the nonciliated epithelial cells of the intrapulmonary airways (i.e., Clara cells). This study attempted to define what role glutathione loss plays in naphthalene cytotoxicity by comparing Swiss-Webster mice treated with naphthalene with those treated with the glutathione depletor diethylmaleate. High-resolution imaging techniques were used to evaluate acute changes in Clara cell ultrastructure, membrane permeability, and cytoskeleton structure. A single dose of either diethylmaleate (1000 mg/kg) or naphthalene (200 mg/kg) caused similar glutathione losses in intrapulmonary airways (< 20% of control). Diethylmaleate did not increase membrane permeability, disrupt mitochondria, or lead to cell death--hallmark features of naphthalene cytotoxicity. However, diethylmaleate treatment did cause Clara cell swelling, plasma membrane blebs, and actin cytoskeleton disruptions similar to naphthalene treatment. Structural changes in mitochondria and Golgi bodies also were noted. Changes in ATP levels were measured as an indication of overall cell function, in isolated airway explants incubated with diethylmaleate, naphthalene, or naphthalene metabolites in vitro. Only the reactive metabolites of naphthalene caused significant ATP losses. Unlike the lethal injury caused by naphthalene, the disruptive cellular changes associated with glutathione loss from diethylmaleate seemed to be reversible after recovery of glutathione levels. This suggests that glutathione depletion may be responsible for some aspects of naphthalene cytotoxicity, but it is not sufficient to cause cell death without further stresses.

Effects of colchicine on the maximum biliary excretion of cholephilic compounds in rats

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Colchicine, an inhibitor of intracellular vesicular transport, has been reported to inhibit the biliary excretion of bile acids and organic anions, but the previous findings are controversial. In order to systematically evaluate the effect of colchicine on the biliary excretion of cholephilic compounds, we studied the effect of colchicine on the biliary excretion of substrates of various canalicular transporters, which were administered at or above the excretory maximum in rats.

METHODS

Substrates of various canalicular adenosine triphosphate-binding-cassette transporters were infused at or above the rate of maximum excretion into rats, and the effect of colchicine (0.2 mg/100 g), which was intraperitoneally injected 3 h before, on the biliary excretion was studied. Furthermore, the effect of tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC) co-infusion on the biliary excretion of taurocholate (TC) after colchicine treatment was also studied.

RESULTS

The biliary excretion of TC and cholate administered at the rate of 1 micro mol/min/100 g was markedly inhibited by colchicine, whereas that of TUDC was not inhibited even with the infusion rate of 2 micro mol/min/100 g. TUDC co-infusion at the rate of 1 micro mol/min/100 g increased the biliary excretion of TC (1 micro mol/min/100 g), which was decreased by the colchicine pretreatment. The biliary excretory maximum of taurolithocholate-sulfate and sulfobromophthalein, substrates of the multidrug resistance protein 2, of erythromycin, a substrate of the P-glycoprotein, and of indocyanine green were not affected by colchicine.

CONCLUSIONS

The different excretory maximums of TC and TUDC and the different effect of colchicine on the excretion of these bile acids are considered to be a result of different regulatory mechanisms of vesicular targeting of the bile salt export pump to the canalicular membrane by these bile acid conjugates. The vesicular targeting of the multidrug resistance protein 2 and the P-glycoprotein to the canalicular membrane is considered to be colchicine insensitive in the absence of bile acid coadministration.

Colchicine inhibits taurodeoxycholate transport in pericentral but not in periportal hepatocytes

Indirect evidence for a microtubule-dependent vesicular hepatocellular transport of bile acids has accumulated. Since inhibition of this transport by colchicine can be achieved only at high but not at low bile acid infusion rates we were wondering whether this transport pathway shows a hepatic zonation or not. To answer this question we perfused isolated rat livers antegradely or retrogradely, respectively, with unlabeled and labeled taurocholate or taurodeoxycholate. Inhibition of microtubule-dependent bile acid transport was aimed at co-infusion of colchicine. Periportal cells eliminated the likewise hydrophobic taurodeoxycholate as fast as the more hydrophilic taurocholate. In contrast, pericentral cells excreted taurodeoxycholate much slower than taurocholate. Colchicine did not change the biliary taurocholate excretion profile in periportal and pericentral cells. However, colchicine reduced significantly taurodeoxycholate excretion in pericentral but not in periportal cells. It is concluded that a microtubule-dependent vesicular, colchicine-sensitive transport pathway seems to be involved in the translocation of taurodeoxycholate in pericentral but not in periportal cells. Since such a vesicular bile acid transport is regarded to be much slower than transcellular transport by diffusion, this observation may explain the much slower excretion of hydrophobic bile acids like taurodeoxycholate in pericentral than in periportal cells under physiological conditions.

Regeneration and maintenance of bile canalicular networks in collagen-sandwiched hepatocytes

The morphological and cytoskeletal reorganization of collagen-sandwiched rat hepatocytes during the de novo formation of complete canalicular networks was examined by phase, fluorescence and electron microscopy. During the initial stages of membrane repolarization, there was a marked accumulation of both microfilaments and microtubules at the sites of canalicular generation. Microtubule-disrupting agents (colchicine, nocodazole) inhibited the localization of actin filaments at cell margins and the initiation and branching of canalicular networks. After removal of microtubule-disrupting agents, microfilaments relocalized to the canalicular borders and microtubules nucleated along the margins of the bile canaliculi at sites distinct from the peri-canalicular actin networks. Microfilament-perturbing agents (cytochalasin D, phalloidin) did not affect the de novo initiation of bile canaliculi and only slightly impaired the development of canalicular lumina into networks. In established cultures with complete canalicular networks, subsequent treatment with microtubule-disrupting agents did not acutely affect the integrity of preformed canalicular networks. In contrast, treatment with microfilament-perturbing agents caused a marked dilation of most canaliculi. These results illustrate the differential role of the cytoskeleton in the regeneration and maintenance of bile canalicular networks by collagen-sandwiched hepatocytes. Moreover, this study shows the utility of this system as an in vitro model for examining the regulation of cell and membrane polarity.

Microtubule-dependent vesicle transport: modulation of channel and transporter activity in liver and kidney

Microtubule-based vesicle transport driven by kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein motor proteins facilitates several membrane-trafficking steps including elements of endocytosis and exocytosis in many different cell types. Most early studies on the role of microtubule-dependent vesicle transport in membrane trafficking focused either on neurons or on simple cell lines. More recently, other work has considered the role of microtubule-based vesicle transport in other physiological systems, including kidney and liver. Investigation of the role of microtubule-based vesicle transport in membrane trafficking in cells of the kidney and liver suggests a major role for microtubule-based vesicle transport in the rapid and directed movement of ion channels and transporters to and from the apical plasma membranes, events essential for kidney and liver function and homeostasis. This review discusses the evidence supporting a role for microtubule-based vesicle transport and the motor proteins, kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein, in different aspects of membrane trafficking in cells of the kidney and liver, with emphasis on those functions such as maintenance of ion channel and transporter composition in apical membranes that are specialized functions of these organs. Evidence that defects in microtubule-based transport contribute to diseases of the kidney and liver is also discussed.

Effects of colchicine and phenothiazine on biliary excretion of organic anions in rats

Vesicular transport inhibitors have been reported to inhibit biliary excretion of some organic anions, suggesting that vesicular transport has a role in intracellular transport of these compounds. However, these inhibitors are substrates for P-glycoprotein. To examine whether P-glycoprotein has a role in canalicular transport of organic anions in addition to the canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter, we studied the effect of colchicine, a vesicular transport inhibitor, and phenothiazine to increase P-glycoprotein expression on biliary excretion of various organic anions in rats. Colchicine treatment slightly but significantly inhibited biliary excretion of indocyanine green, dinitrophenyl-glutathione and pravastatin, and had no effect on biliary excretion of sulphobromophthalein and dibromosulphophthalein. Phenothiazine treatment did not affect biliary excretion of indocyanine green and pravastatin, but it increased biliary sulphobromophthalein-glutathione excretion. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that P-glycoprotein plays an additive role on biliary excretion of some organic anions in addition to the canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter.

Effect of the microtubular inhibitor vinblastine on ferritin clearance and release in the rat

We have previously demonstrated that colchicine inhibits ferritin clearance from the circulation of normal and iron-loaded rats and stimulates endogenous ferritin release into both the serum and bile of iron-loaded rats. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of vinblastine on ferritin clearance and release in normal and iron-loaded rats. Vinblastine was administered at either 1 or 10 mg/kg to both normal and iron-loaded rats, infused over a 5 h period with either a rat liver ferritin or saline solution. Serum and biliary ferritin levels were determined every 30 min. After 5 h, 90% of the infused ferritin was cleared from the circulation in the absence of vinblastine. Low-dose vinblastine decreased ferritin uptake 10-20% in iron-loaded rats. High-dose vinblastine inhibited ferritin clearance by 25% in normal rats and 20-40% in iron-loaded rats. Vinblastine administration caused a 2-3-fold increase in the serum ferritin concentration and a 3-5-fold peak in biliary ferritin levels. Thus, vinblastine caused the release of endogenous ferritin into both the serum and bile of iron-loaded rats in the presence of a ferritin load. We therefore conclude that disturbed microtubule function accounts for the observed inhibition of ferritin uptake and intracellular transport; however, the mechanism of increased ferritin release remains unclear.

Changes in biliary excretory mechanisms in bile duct-ligated rat

The effects of bile duct ligation on biliary excretion of bile acids, glutathione, and lipids were studied in the rat. The bile duct of the rat was ligated for three days. The biliary bile acid excretion after bile duct cannulation was higher at first, but after 90 min became lower than that in the control rat. The bile flow in the bile duct-ligated rat was higher after bile duct cannulation and gradually decreased to the same level as in the control rat. Biliary glutathione excretion, which has been suggested to be a driving force for the bile acid-independent canalicular bile flow, was markedly decreased in the bile duct-ligated rat. The mannitol clearance was increased and the bile ductules showed proliferation in the bile duct-ligated rat, suggesting an increase in the ductular bile flow. Biliary excretion of lithocholate glucuronide was more markedly impaired than that of taurocholate. When taurocholate was infused at higher rates, which increases bile flow and biliary excretion of bile acid and lipids in the control rat, biliary bile acid and lipid excretion remained constant in the bile duct-ligated rat. These findings indicate that, in the bile duct-ligated rat, the ductular bile flow was increased and bile acid-independent canalicular bile flow was decreased and that, although the biliary excretion of bile acids was not as impaired as that of organic anions, the capacity of bile acid and lipid excretion was markedly decreased.

Effect of diethylmaleate on bile secretion and ultrastructural appearance of hepatocytes in normal rats and mutant rats with defective organic anion secretion

Diethylmaleate is an organic anion secreted into bile as a glutathione conjugate. Its transport by the hepatocyte is associated with dilatation of the Golgi apparatus and the appearance of small vesicles in the pericanalicular area. It has been speculated that the Golgi apparatus could play a role in the intracellular transport and/or the biliary canalicular secretion of diethylmaleate. The purpose of this work was to determine whether the alterations in the Golgi apparatus and the pericanalicular vesicles could mediate the canalicular secretion of diethylmaleate. Diethylmaleate biliary secretion and diethylmaleate-induced bile flow were measured in Sprague-Dawley rats, and in TR- rats which have an inherited defect in the excretion into bile of organic anions, including glutathione conjugates. Livers of both Sprague-Dawley and TR-rats were examined by electron microscopy, to characterize the changes in intracellular organelles. In Sprague-Dawley rats, as previously described, diethylmaleate administration was associated with an increase in bile flow, which was parallel in time to the secretion into bile of diethylmaleate conjugates. Electron microscopic examination of the liver after diethylmaleate administration showed dilatation of the Golgi saccules. In contrast, in TR- rats, the increase in bile flow and the secretion of diethylmaleate conjugated were nearly absent. Nevertheless, electron microscopic examination showed a dilatation of the Golgi saccules similar to that observed in Sprague-Dawley rats. TR- rats, in addition to the changes in the Golgi apparatus, had marked dilatation of the endoplasmic reticulum. These results show that biliary secretion of diethylmaleate conjugates was severely impaired in TR- rats, in spite of a dilatation of the Golgi apparatus and of the endoplasmic reticulum. We conclude that it is unlikely that the alterations in the Golgi apparatus (and the endoplasmic reticulum) induced by diethylmaleate play a role in the canalicular secretion of diethylmaleate. We do not exclude the possibility that these organelles could play a role in intracellular transport of this compound. Alternatively, these alterations could be due to a "toxic" effect of diethylmaleate accumulation in hepatocytes.

Role of the endothelial cytoskeleton in blood-brain-barrier permeability to protein

The role of the cytoskeletal elements, microfilaments and microtubules in cerebral endothelial permeability to protein during steady states was investigated by studies of cerebrovascular permeability to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in rats pretreated with cytochalasin B or colchicine, agents known to disrupt microfilaments and microtubules, respectively. In addition, the effect of colchicine pretreatment on the alterations in cerebrovascular permeability that occur in acute hypertension were studied. Rats infused with cytochalasin B showed increased cerebrovascular permeability to HRP in multifocal areas of the ipsilateral hemisphere. Most of the permeable vessels were arterioles; however, capillaries and venules also showed increased permeability. Ultrastructural studies of permeable vessels showed HRP in all layers of vessel walls and in endothelial and smooth muscle cell pinocytotic vesicles, which were increased in number. Although segments of interendothelial spaces were labeled by tracer, continuous labeling of interendothelial spaces from the luminal to the abluminal end was not seen and tight junctions were not disrupted. Normotensive rats pretreated with colchicine showed no alteration in cerebrovascular permeability to HRP. Colchicine pretreatment attenuated the permeability alterations that were observed in acutely hypertensive rats. This study demonstrates that integrity of endothelial actin filaments is important for maintenance of the blood-brain barrier to protein during steady states since increased permeability occurred in the presence of an actin disrupting agent. The microtubular network had no demonstrable role during steady states; however, disruption of the microtubular network had a protective effect and prevented the development of alterations in permeability to protein in acute hypertension.

Mechanisms of biliary excretion of lithocholate-3-sulfate in Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats (EHBR)

Biliary excretion of lithocholate-3-sulfate is markedly impaired in EHBR. To examine the mechanism of biliary lithocholate-3-sulfate excretion in EHBR, the effects of colchicine treatment, a vesicular transport inhibitor, and infusion of taurocholate and organic anions were studied in EHBR and Sprague-Dawley rats. Colchicine treatment and taurocholate infusion had no effect of biliary lithocholate-3-sulfate excretion in EHBR, suggesting that biliary lithocholate-3-sulfate excretion is not mediated by the vesicular transport or by the bile acid excretory pathway. In control Sprague-Dawley rats, both sulfobromophthalein and dibromosulfophthalein infusion inhibited biliary lithocholate-3-sulfate excretion. In contrast, in EHBR dibromosulfophthalein infusion inhibited biliary lithocholate-3-sulfate excretion but BSP infusion did not. Indocyanine green and pravastatin infusion did not affect biliary lithocholate-3-sulfate excretion but pravastatin infusion had no effect in EHBR. These findings indicate that, whether physiologically important or not, two of more excretory pathways for organic anions exist at the canalicular membrane other than the ATP-dependent one.

Colchicine inhibits lithocholate-3-O-glucuronide-induced cholestasis in rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS

It has been suggested that vesicular transport of bile acids in hepatocytes occurs, especially at high-dose loads.

METHODS

The effect was studied of colchicine, a vesicular transport inhibitor, on lithocholate-3-O-glucuronide-induced cholestasis in rats. Cholestasis was induced by an intravenous infusion of lithocholate-3-O-glucoronide at the rate of 0.1 mumol.min-1.100 g-1 for 40 min.

RESULTS

Colchicine treatment almost completely inhibited cholestasis and increased biliary excretion of lithocholate-3-O-glucoronide, whereas lumicolchicine had no effect. Treatment with vinblastine, another vesicular transport inhibitor, also reduced the cholestasis. Colchicine did not affect biliary excretion of taurocholate infused at the rate of 0.3 mumol.min-1.100 g-1 for 40 min, but markedly inhibited its biliary excretion when infused at the rate of 1.5 mumol.min-1.100 g-1 for 40 min. Colchicine had no effect on biliary excretion of tauroursodeoxycholate (1.5 mumol.min-1.100 g-1 for 40 min), lithocholate-3-sulfate (0.3 mumol.min-1.100 g-1 for 40 min), or a trace amount of lithocholate-3-O-glucuronide.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that lithocholate-3-O-glucoronide-induced cholestasis is caused by its increased access to the vesicular transport pathway, possibly beyond the capacity of the transport by the cytosolic binders, and that the transport of lithocholate-3-O-glucoronide via the vesicular pathway induces cholestasis. Furthermore, the contribution of the vesicular pathway to hepatic transport may be different among bile acids, and lithocholate-3-O-glucuronide seems to have higher accessibility to this transport system.

Effects of phalloidin and colchicine on diethylmaleate-induced choleresis and ultrastructural appearance of rat hepatocytes

Diethylmaleate is used as a model compound whose glutathione conjugates are secreted into bile, and which induce choleresis and the formation of Golgi-derived vesicles in hepatocytes. This study was performed to test the assumption that these vesicles are involved in the bile canalicular secretion of diethylmaleate. We reasoned that phalloidin and colchicine, two drugs acting on microfilaments and microtubules, respectively, can modify the movements of diethylmaleate-induced vesicles towards the bile canaliculus. Phalloidin induced the formation of a thick microfilamentous network around the bile canalicular plasma membrane domain. A significant decrease in diethylmaleate-stimulated choleresis was observed, associated with a striking accumulation of pericanalicular vesicles, which were confirmed by morphometric analysis. In contrast, in rats pretreated with colchicine, after diethylmaleate administration, only a few vesicles were observed around the bile canaliculus, while diethylmaleate-induced choleresis also decreased. These results suggest that: a) the thick microfilament network induced by phalloidin prevents diethylmaleate-associated vesicles reaching the bile canalicular plasma membrane; and b) colchicine produces a dispersion of these vesicles in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes by inhibiting the polymerization of microtubules. These observations support a role of vesicles in the transport of diethylmaleate by hepatocyte into bile, and are consistent with the existence of a vesicular pathway for the biliary secretion of diethylmaleate and possibly other organic anions.

The role of the canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter in the disposal of endo- and xenobiotics

Bile is an important excretory route for the elimination of amphiphilic organic anions, and hepatocytes are the primary secretory units of bile formation. The hepatocytic basolateral and canalicular membranes are equipped with various carrier proteins. Transport across the canalicular membrane represents a major concentrative step. Various ATP-dependent transporters have been identified, such as a multispecific organic anion transporter (canalicular multispecific organic ion transporter, cMOAT), a bile acid transporter and several P-glycoproteins. TR- rats, which lack cMOAT activity, have been valuable in defining the substrate specificity of cMOAT. A wide range of glucuronide-, glutathione- and sulfate-conjugates are transported by this system.

Effects of aniso-osmolarity and hydroperoxides on intracellular pH in isolated rat hepatocytes as assessed by (2',7')-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran fluorescence

Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were plated for 4-6 h and either loaded with (2',7)-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) or allowed to endocytose fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-coupled dextran in order to study the effects of aniso-osmotic exposure and oxidative stress on cytosolic (pHcyt) and apparent vesicular pH (pHves) by single-cell fluorescence recordings. In the presence of normo-osmotic (305 mosmol/l) medium pHcyt was 7.23 +/- 0.03 (n = 108), whereas an apparent pH of 6.07 +/- 0.02 (n = 156) was found in the vesicular compartment accessible to endocytosed FITC-dextran. Substitution of 60 mM NaCl against 120 mM raffinose had no effect on pHcyt or apparent pHves, whereas addition of NH4Cl increased both pHcyt and apparent pHves. Hypo-osmotic cell swelling lowered pHcyt, whereas simultaneously apparent pHves increased. These effects were rapidly reversible upon re-institution of normo-osmotic media. Similarly, an increase of apparent pHves was observed when cell swelling was induced by Ba2+, glutamine or histidine. Conversely, hyperosmotic cell shrinkage due to addition of NaCl or raffinose led to a cytosolic alkalinization and a vesicular acidification. Both, H2O2 (0.2 mmol/l) and t-butyl-hydroperoxide (0.2 mmol/l) were without effect on pHcyt, but lowered apparent pHves by about 0.2 pH units. Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) diminished the acidifying effect of the hydroperoxides by about 50%. Pretreatment of the cells with colchicine, but not with lumicolchicine, largely abolished the effects of aniso-osmolarity and hydroperoxides on pHves. The data suggest that hepatocellular hydration affects the proton gradients built up across the membranes of endocytotic FITC-dextran-accessible compartments in a microtubule-dependent way. They further suggest that hydroperoxides induce vesicular acidification in a colchicine- and Ba(2+)-sensitive way. Because hydroperoxides induce Ba(2+)-sensitive cell shrinkage [Hallbrucker, Ritter, Lang, Gerok and Häussinger (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 211, 449-458], the results are compatible with the view that hydroperoxide-induced cell shrinkage mediates vesicular acidification. It is concluded that modulation of vesicular pH by the hepatocellular hydration state may play a role in triggering some metabolic changes in response to cell swelling/shrinkage.

Involvement of microtubules in the swelling-induced stimulation of transcellular taurocholate transport in perfused rat liver

An increase of the hepatocellular hydratation state, induced by hypotonic exposure, amino acids or tauroursodeoxycholate, was shown to increase within minutes the Vmax of transcellular taurocholate transport and excretion into bile [Häussinger, Hallbrucker, Saha, Lang and Gerok (1992) Biochem. J. 288, 681-689]. This stimulatory effect of cell swelling on taurocholate excretion into bile is abolished in the presence of colchicine (5 microM). On the other hand, colchicine did not affect the stimulatory action of hypotonic cell swelling on 14CO2 production from [1-14C]glycine or [1-14C]glucose. Likewise, volume regulatory K+ fluxes following anisotonic exposure were not influenced in the presence of colchicine. Lumicolchicine (5 microM), a stereoisomer of colchicine without an inhibitory effect on microtubules, did not abolish the stimulation of taurocholate excretion into bile following hypo-osmotic exposure. Hypertonic cell shrinkage decreased taurocholate excretion into bile by about 35%; this effect was fully reversible upon normotonic re-exposure. With colchicine pretreatment, however, the hypertonicity-induced inhibition of taurocholate excretion was blunted and was no longer reversible upon normotonic re-exposure. The results suggest that stimulation of taurocholate excretion into bile in response to cell swelling involves a colchicine-sensitive, probably microtubule-dependent, mechanism, but not the stimulation of other cell-volume-sensitive pathways such as glycine oxidation or the pentose-phosphate shunt. It is hypothesized that the swelling-induced stimulation of taurocholate excretion into bile is due to a microtubule-dependent insertion of bile acid transporter molecules into the canalicular membrane.

Estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide-induced cholestasis. Effects of ursodeoxycholate-3-O-glucuronide and 3,7-disulfate

The effect of the co-infusion of ursodeoxycholate and its taurine conjugate, 3-O-glucuronide and 3,7-disulfate on estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide-induced cholestasis was examined. Estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide was intravenously administered to bile-drained rats at a rate of 0.075 mumol/min/100 g for 20 min. Co-infusion of ursodeoxycholate and its conjugates was simultaneously begun at a rate of 0.2 mumol/min/100 g and continued for 120 min. Ursodeoxycholate failed to improve and tauroursodeoxycholate only partially improved estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide-induced cholestasis between 20 and 40 min, although both bile acids increased bile flow after 80 min. Tauroursodeoxycholate increased biliary estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide excretion. Ursodeoxycholate-3-O-glucuronide completely inhibited cholestasis induced by estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide without changing biliary estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide excretion. Although ursodeoxycholate-3,7-disulfate had only a minor effect on cholestasis, it increased biliary excretion of estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide. In the Eizai hyperbilirubinuria rat (EHBR), a hyperbilirubinemic mutant Sprague-Dawley rat, the same dose of estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide failed to induce cholestasis with a marked delay in biliary excretion of estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide. In summary, ursodeoxycholate-3-O-glucuronide is more effective than tauroursodeoxycholate in inhibiting estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide-induced cholestasis and ursodoexycholate-3,7-disulfate had little effect. However, the unexpected effects of ursodeoxycholate-3-O-glucuronide and 3,7-disulfate on excretion of estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide suggest that the interaction of these anions at the canalicular membrane is complicated, with interaction occurring at more than two pathways of the biliary excretion of these anions.