Rat liver canalicular membrane vesicles. Isolation and topological characterization

Hepatic glutamate transport and glutamine synthesis capacities are decreased in finished vs. growing beef steers, concomitant with increased GTRAP3-18 content

Hepatic glutamate uptake and conversion to glutamine is critical for whole-body N metabolism, but how this process is regulated during growth is poorly described. The hepatic glutamate uptake activities, protein content of system [Formula: see text] transporters (EAAC1, GLT-1) and regulatory proteins (GTRAP3-18, ARL6IP1), glutamine synthetase (GS) activity and content, and glutathione (GSH) content, were compared in liver tissue of weaned Angus steers randomly assigned (n = 8) to predominantly lean (growing) or predominantly lipid (finished) growth regimens. Steers were fed a cotton seed hull-based diet to achieve final body weights of 301 or 576 kg, respectively, at a constant rate of growth. Liver tissue was collected at slaughter and hepatic membranes fractionated. Total (75%), Na+-dependent (90%), system [Formula: see text]-dependent (abolished) glutamate uptake activity, and EAAC1 content (36%) in canalicular membrane-enriched vesicles decreased as steers developed from growing (n = 6) to finished (n = 4) stages, whereas Na+-independent uptake did not change. In basolateral membrane-enriched vesicles, total (60%), Na+-dependent (60%), and Na+-independent (56%) activities decreased, whereas neither system [Formula: see text]-dependent uptake nor protein content changed. EAAC1 protein content in liver homogenates (n = 8) decreased in finished vs. growing steers, whereas GTRAP3-18 and ARL6IP1 content increased and GLT-1 content did not change. Concomitantly, hepatic GS activity decreased (32%) as steers fattened, whereas GS and GSH contents did not differ. We conclude that hepatic glutamate uptake and GS synthesis capacities are reduced in livers of finished versus growing beef steers, and that hepatic system [Formula: see text] transporter activity/EAAC1 content is inversely proportional to GTRAP3-18 content.

Differential basolateral-apical distribution of scavenger receptor, class B, type I in cultured cells and the liver

The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) receptor, scavenger receptor class B, type I (SR-BI), mediates selective cholesteryl ester uptake into the liver, which finally results in cholesterol secretion into the bile. Despite several reports, the distribution of hepatic SR-BI between the sinusoidal and canalicular membranes is still under debate. We present immunohistological data using specific markers showing that the bulk of SR-BI is present in sinusoidal membranes and, to a lesser extent, in canalicular membranes in murine and human liver sections. In addition, SR-BI was detected in preparations of rat liver canalicular membranes. We also compared the in vivo findings to HepG2 cells, a widely used in vitro hepatocyte model. Interestingly, SR-BI was enriched in bile canalicular-like (BC-like) structures in polarized HepG2 cells, which were cultivated either conventionally to form a monolayer or in Matrigel to form three-dimensional structures. Fluorescently labeled HDL was transported into close proximity of BC-like structures, whereas HDL labeled with the fluorescent cholesterol analog BODIPY-cholesterol was clearly detected within these structures. Importantly, similarly to human and mouse liver, SR-BI was localized in basolateral membranes in three-dimensional liver microtissues from primary human liver cells. Our results demonstrate that SR-BI is highly enriched in sinusoidal membranes and is also found in canalicular membranes. There was no significant basolateral-apical redistribution of hepatic SR-BI in fasting and refeeding experiments in mice. Furthermore, in vitro studies in polarized HepG2 cells showed explicit differences as SR-BI was highly enriched in BC-like structures. These structures are, however, functional and accumulated HDL-derived cholesterol. Thus, biological relevant model systems should be employed when investigating SR-BI distribution in vitro.

Key discoveries in bile acid chemistry and biology and their clinical applications: history of the last eight decades

During the last 80 years there have been extraordinary advances in our knowledge of the chemistry and biology of bile acids. We present here a brief history of the major achievements as we perceive them. Bernal, a physicist, determined the X-ray structure of cholesterol crystals, and his data together with the vast chemical studies of Wieland and Windaus enabled the correct structure of the steroid nucleus to be deduced. Today, C24 and C27 bile acids together with C27 bile alcohols constitute most of the bile acid "family". Patterns of bile acid hydroxylation and conjugation are summarized. Bile acid measurement encompasses the techniques of GC, HPLC, and MS, as well as enzymatic, bioluminescent, and competitive binding methods. The enterohepatic circulation of bile acids results from vectorial transport of bile acids by the ileal enterocyte and hepatocyte; the key transporters have been cloned. Bile acids are amphipathic, self-associate in solution, and form mixed micelles with polar lipids, phosphatidylcholine in bile, and fatty acids in intestinal content during triglyceride digestion. The rise and decline of dissolution of cholesterol gallstones by the ingestion of 3,7-dihydroxy bile acids is chronicled. Scientists from throughout the world have contributed to these achievements.

A novel hypothesis for an alkaline phosphatase 'rescue' mechanism in the hepatic acute phase immune response

The liver isoform of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (AP) has been used classically as a serum biomarker for hepatic disease states such as hepatitis, steatosis, cirrhosis, drug-induced liver injury, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent studies have demonstrated a more general anti-inflammatory role for AP, as it is capable of dephosphorylating potentially deleterious molecules such as nucleotide phosphates, the pathogenic endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the contact clotting pathway activator polyphosphate (polyP), thereby reducing inflammation and coagulopathy systemically. Yet the mechanism underlying the observed increase in liver AP levels in circulation during inflammatory insults is largely unknown. This paper hypothesizes an immunological role for AP in the liver and the potential of this system for damping generalized inflammation along with a wide range of ancillary pathologies. Based on the provided framework, a mechanism is proposed in which AP undergoes transcytosis in hepatocytes from the canalicular membrane to the sinusoidal membrane during inflammation and the enzyme's expression is upregulated as a result. Through a tightly controlled, nucleotide-stimulated negative feedback process, AP is transported in this model as an immune complex with immunoglobulin G by the asialoglycoprotein receptor through the cell and secreted into the serum, likely using the receptor's State 1 pathway. The subsequent dephosphorylation of inflammatory stimuli by AP and uptake of the circulating immune complex by endothelial cells and macrophages may lead to decreased inflammation and coagulopathy while providing an early upstream signal for the induction of a number of anti-inflammatory gene products, including AP itself.

Purification and reconstitution of sterol transfer by native mouse ABCG5 and ABCG8

ABCG5 (G5) and ABCG8 (G8) are ATP-binding cassette half-transporters that limit intestinal uptake and promote biliary secretion of neutral sterols. Here, we describe the purification of endogenous G5G8 from mouse liver to near homogeneity. We incorporated the native proteins into membrane vesicles and reconstituted sterol transfer. Native gel electrophoresis, density-gradient ultracentrifugation, and chemical cross-linking studies indicated that the functional native complex is a heterodimer. No higher order oligomeric forms were observed at any stage in the catalytic cycle. Sterol transfer activity by purified native G5G8 was stable, stereospecific, and selective. We also report that G5 but not G8 is S-palmitoylated and that palmitoylation is not essential for dimerization, trafficking, or biliary sterol secretion. Both G5 and G8 have short but highly conserved cytoplasmic tails. The functional roles of these C-terminal regions were examined using an in vivo functional assay.

Sterol transfer by ABCG5 and ABCG8: in vitro assay and reconstitution

ATP-binding cassette transporters G5 and G8 are half-transporters expressed on the apical membranes of enterocytes and hepatocytes that limit intestinal uptake and promote secretion of neutral sterols. Genetic defects that inactivate either half-transporter cause accumulation of cholesterol and plant sterols, resulting in premature coronary atherosclerosis. These observations suggest that G5 and G8 promote the translocation of sterols across membranes, but the primary transport substrate of the G5G8 complex has not been directly determined. Here we report the development of a sterol transfer assay using "inside-out" membrane vesicles from Sf9 cells expressing recombinant mouse G5 and G8. Radiolabeled cholesterol or sitosterol was transferred from donor liposomes to G5- and G8-containing membrane vesicles in an ATP-dependent and vanadate-sensitive manner; net transfer of cholesterol was associated with an increase in vesicular cholesterol mass. CTP, GTP, and UTP, as well as ATP, supported transfer but with lesser efficiency (ATP >> CTP > GTP > UTP). Transfer was specific for sterols and was stereoselective; minimal ATP-dependent and vanadate-sensitive transfer of cholesteryl oleate, phosphatidylcholine, or enantiomeric cholesterol was observed. These studies indicate that G5 and G8 are sufficient for reconstitution of sterol transfer activity in vitro and provide the first demonstration that sterols are direct transport substrates of the G5 and G8 heterodimer.

Bile acid transport in sister of P-glycoprotein (ABCB11) knockout mice

In vertebrates, bile flow is essential for movement of water and solutes across liver canalicular membranes. In recent years, the molecular motor of canalicular bile acid secretion has been identified as a member of the ATP binding cassette transporter (ABC) superfamily, known as sister of P-glycoprotein (Spgp) or bile salt export pump (Bsep, ABCB11). In humans, mutations in the BSEP gene are associated with a very low level of bile acid secretion and severe cholestasis. However, as reported previously, because the spgp(-)(/)(-) knockout mice do not express severe cholestasis and have substantial bile acid secretion, we investigated the "alternative transport system" that allows these mice to be physiologically relatively normal. We examined the expression levels of several ABC transporters in spgp(-)(/)(-) mice and found that the level of multidrug resistance Mdr1 (P-glycoprotein) was strikingly increased while those of Mdr2, Mrp2, and Mrp3 were increased to only a moderate extent. We hypothesize that an elevated level of Mdr1 in the spgp(-)(/)(-) knockout mice functions as an alternative pathway to transport bile acids and protects hepatocytes from bile acid-induced cholestasis. In support of this hypothesis, we showed that plasma membrane vesicles isolated from a drug resistant cell line expressing high levels of P-glycoprotein were capable of transporting bile acids, albeit with a 5-fold lower affinity compared to Spgp. This finding is the first direct evidence that P-glycoprotein (Mdr1) is capable of transporting bile acids.

Role of glutathione in reduction of arsenate and of γ-glutamyltranspeptidase in disposition of arsenite in rats

Arsenate (AsV), the environmentally prevalent form of arsenic, is converted sequentially in the body to arsenite (AsIII), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAsV), monomethylarsonous acid (MMAsIII), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAsV) and some trimethylated metabolites. Although the biliary excretion of arsenic in rats is known to be glutathione (GSH)-dependent, involving transport of arsenic-GSH conjugates, the role of GSH in the reduction of AsV to the more toxic AsIII in vivo has not been defined. Therefore, we studied how the fate of AsV is influenced by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), which depletes GSH in tissues. Control and BSO-treated rats were given AsV (50 micromol/kg, i.v.) and arsenic metabolites in bile, urine, blood and tissues were analysed by HPLC-HG-AFS. BSO increased retention of AsV in blood and tissues and decreased appearance of AsIII in blood, bile (by 96%) and urine (by 63%). The biliary excretion of MMAsIII was also nearly abolished, the appearance of MMAsIII and MMAsV in the blood was delayed and the renal concentrations of these monomethylated arsenicals were decreased by BSO. Interestingly, appearance of DMAsV in blood and urine remained unchanged and the concentrations of this metabolite in the kidneys and muscle were even increased in response to BSO. To test the role of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) in arsenic disposition, the effect of the of the GGT inhibitor acivicin was investigated in rats injected with AsIII (50 micromol/kg, i.v.). Acivicin lowered the hepatic and renal GGT activities and increased the biliary as well as urinary excretion of GSH, but failed to alter the disposition (i.e. blood and tissue concentrations, biliary and urinary excretion) of AsIII and its metabolites. In conclusion, shortage of GSH decreases not only the hepatobiliary transport of arsenic, but also reduction of AsV and the formation of monomethylated arsenic, while not hindering the production of dimethylated arsenic. While GSH plays an important role in the disposition and toxicity of arsenic, GGT, which hydrolyses GSH and GSH conjugates, apparently does not influence the fate of the GSH-reactive trivalent arsenicals in rats.

Mechanism of the Stationary Canalicular Excretion of Tributylmethyl Ammonium in Rats with a CCl4-Induced Acute Hepatic Injury

The in vivo canalicular excretion clearance of tributylmethyl ammonium (TBuMA), a P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate, was previously reported to be unaffected by the induction of an experimental hepatic injury (EHI) by CCl(4) despite the increased expression of P-gp in the EHI liver. The objective of this study, therefore, was to elucidate the mechanism for the unchanged canalicular excretion clearance of TBuMA in EHI rats. TBuMA uptake was increased in cLPM vesicles from EHI rats compared with that from control rats. The total bile salt concentration in EHI liver was significantly reduced compared with that in a control liver. Because, in our previous studies, the uptake of TBuMA by cLPM vesicles was found to be significantly enhanced in the presence of bile salts, the reduction in bile salt levels in the EHI liver may be related to the unaltered TBuMA clearance. Despite the fact that the uptake of TBuMA by cLPM vesicles was increased by the addition of an EHI liver extract, the extent of the increase was comparatively less compared to the addition of a control liver extract. The in vivo excretion clearance of TBuMA was increased in a taurodeoxycholate dose-dependent manner in EHI rats. These observations suggest, therefore, that despite the induction of P-gp expression by the EHI, the in vivo canalicular excretion clearance of TBuMA remains unaltered as the result of an offset by reduced levels of bile salt(s).

Identification of HAX-1 as a protein that binds bile salt export protein and regulates its abundance in the apical membrane of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells

ATP-binding cassette (ABC)-type proteins are essential for bile formation in vertebrate liver. BSEP, MDR1, MDR2, and MRP2 ABC transporters are targeted to the apical (canalicular) membrane of hepatocytes where they execute ATP-dependent transport of bile acids, drugs, amphipathic cations, phospholipids, and conjugated organic anions, respectively. Changes in activity and abundance of transporters in the canalicular membrane regulate bile flow; however, little is known regarding cellular proteins that bind ABC transporters and regulate their trafficking. A yeast two-hybrid screen identified HAX-1 as a binding partner for BSEP, MDR1, and MDR2. The interactions were validated biochemically by glutathione S-transferase pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays. BSEP and HAX-1 were over-represented in rat liver subcellular fractions enriched for canalicular membrane vesicles, microsomes, and clathrin-coated vesicles. HAX-1 was bound to BSEP, MDR1, and MDR2 in canalicular membrane vesicles and co-localized with BSEP and MDR1 in the apical membrane of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. RNA interference of HAX-1 increased BSEP levels in the apical membrane of MDCK cells by 71%. Pulse-chase studies indicated that HAX-1 depletion did not affect BSEP translation, post-translational modification, delivery to the plasma membrane, or half-life. HAX-1 depletion resulted in an increased peak of metabolically labeled apical membrane BSEP at 4 h and enhanced retention at 6 and 9 h. HAX-1 also interacts with cortactin. Expression of dominant negative cortactin increased steady state levels of BSEP 2-fold in the apical membrane of MDCK cells, as did expression of dominant negative EPS15. These findings suggest that HAX-1 and cortactin participate in BSEP internalization from the apical membrane.

Mechanisms by which cAMP increases bile acid secretion in rat liver and canalicular membrane vesicles

Bile acid secretion induced by cAMP and taurocholate is associated with recruitment of several ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters to the canalicular membrane. Taurocholate-mediated bile acid secretion and recruitment of ABC transporters are phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) dependent and require an intact microtubular apparatus. We examined mechanisms involved in cAMP-mediated bile acid secretion. Bile acid secretion induced by perfusion of rat liver with dibutyryl cAMP was blocked by colchicine and wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor. Canalicular membrane vesicles isolated from cAMP-treated rats manifested increased ATP-dependent transport of taurocholate and PI3K activity that were reduced by prior in vivo administration of colchicine or wortmannin. Addition of a PI3K lipid product, phosphoinositide 3,4-bisphosphate, but not its isomer, phosphoinositide 4,5-bisphosphate, restored ATP-dependent taurocholate in these vesicles. Addition of a decapeptide that activates PI3K to canalicular membrane vesicles increased ATP-dependent transport above baseline activity. In contrast to effects induced by taurocholate, cAMP-stimulated intracellular trafficking of the canalicular ABC transporters was unaffected by wortmannin, and recruitment of multidrug resistance protein 2, but not bile salt excretory protein (bsep), was partially decreased by colchicine. These studies indicate that trafficking of bsep and other canalicular ABC transporters to the canalicular membrane in response to cAMP is independent of PI3K activity. In addition, PI3K lipid products are required for activation of bsep in the canalicular membrane. These observations prompt revision of current concepts regarding the role of cAMP and PI3K in intracellular trafficking, regulation of canalicular bsep, and bile acid secretion.

Multiple alterations of canalicular membrane transport activities in rats with CCl(4)-induced hepatic injury

The influence of CCl(4)-induced experimental hepatic injury (CCl(4)-EHI) on the expression and transport activities of primary active transporters on the canalicular membrane, including P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a bile salt export pump (Bsep) and a multidrug resistance associated protein2 (Mrp2), was assessed. CCl(4)-EHI was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of CCl(4) to rats at a dose of 1 ml/kg 24 h prior to the preparation of canalicular liver plasma membrane (cLPM) vesicles and pharmacokinetic studies. The expression of each transporter was measured for the vesicles via Western blot analysis at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h after the injection of CCl(4). The in vivo canalicular excretion clearance (CL(exc)) of [(3)H]daunomycin, [(3)H]taurocholate and [(3)H]17beta-estradiol-17beta-D-glucuronide (E(2)17betaG), representative substrates of P-gp, Bsep, and Mrp2, respectively, was determined following an i.v. infusion to rats. The uptake of each substrate into cLPM vesicles in the presence of ATP was also measured by a rapid filtration technique. As the result of the CCl(4)-EHI, the protein level of transporters was altered as a function of time in multiple manners; it was increased by 3.6-fold for P-gp, unchanged for Bsep, and decreased by 73% for Mrp2 at 24 h. The in vivo CL(exc) and the intrinsic uptake clearance into cLPM vesicles (CL(int)) at 24 h after the CCl(4) injection (CCl(4)-EHI(24 h)) were also influenced by the EHI in a similar manner; they were increased by 1.8- and 1.9-fold for daunomycin, unchanged for taurocholate, and decreased by 41 and 39% for E(2)17betaG, respectively, consistent with multiple alterations in the expression of the relevant transporters.

Metabolism of sulphobromophthalein II. Species differences between rats, guinea-pigs and rabbits

Interesting species differences in the metabolism of sulphobromophthalein sodium have been observed between rats, guinea-pigs and rabbits. The species difference was measured in terms of sulphobromophthalein monoglutathione conjugate (mGSH) positional isomer formation. After an intravenous injection of sulphobromophthalein to rats, 92% of sulphobromophthalein-mGSH excreted into bile was the alpha-isomer. In contrast, in guinea-pigs the three isomers alpha, beta and delta were excreted in equivalent amounts. In rabbits, the majority of sulphobromophthalein-mGSH was excreted as the beta-isomer. The formation ratio of glutathione (GSH) conjugates in-vitro using cytosolic glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) prepared from livers generally accounted for the biliary excretion ratio of alpha-, beta- and delta-monomercaptide isomers in-vivo. GSTs from the livers of rat, guinea-pig, and rabbit were purified and characterized. Although their main GSTs produced different isomers, their 20 amino acid residues showed that they belonged to the same class mu of GSTs. The results suggested differences of the three-dimensional structure of GSTs that formed sulphobromophthalein-mGSH isomers between the three animal species.

Transport of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) by breast cancer resistance protein ABCG2 in human lung cancer cells

Overexpression of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) ABCG2 reportedly confers cancer cell resistance to camptothecin-based anticancer drugs, such as topotecan and 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38: the active metabolite of irinotecan). We have recently shown that SN-38-selected PC-6/SN2-5H human lung carcinoma cells overexpressed BCRP with the reduced intracellular accumulation of SN-38 and SN-38-glucuronide (S. Kawabata et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 280, 1216-1223, 2001). In the present study, we have examined whether BCRP transports SN-38 and/or SN-38-glucuronide in vitro, by using plasma membrane vesicles from the parental PC-6 and resistant PC-6/SN2-5H cells, where SN-38 and SN-38-glucuronide accumulation in membrane vesicles was measured by HPLC. Both SN-38 and SN-38-glucuronide were ATP-dependently transported into membrane vesicles prepared from PC-6/SN2-5H cells, whereas no transport activity was observed in membrane vesicles from PC-6 cells. The kinetic parameters of the transport observed in PC-6/SN2-5H vesicles were K(m) = 4.0 microM, V(max) = 714 pmol/mg/min for SN-38 and K(m) = 26 microM, V(max) = 833 pmol/mg/min for SN-38-glucuronide. These findings suggest that BCRP expressed in PC-6/SN2-5H cells transports both SN-38 and SN-38-glucuronide with a higher affinity toward SN-38.

Initial intraorgan formation of mercapturic acid

The disposition of S-benzyl-glutathione (BSG) in male Wistar rats was evaluated by the HPLC method to examine whether the kidney and liver contributed independently to the biosynthesis of S-benzyl-N-acetylcysteine (BNAc), a mercapturic acid (Chart 1). After intravenous injection, BSG was rapidly transported in both the kidney and the liver at a ratio of about 7:3. Simultaneously, a large amount of BNAc was found in both the kidney and the liver. In the kidney, S-benzyl-cysteine (BCys) reached a maximum concentration (Cmax) at 2 min after BSG injection, whereas BNAc reached Cmax within 3 to 5 min. The generation of BNAc was also observed in the liver. While renal BNAc reached Cmax within 3 to 5 min, hepatic BNAc reached Cmax around 5 min after BSG injection. Moreover, the elimination half-life of the BNAc after intravenous injection of the BSG was equivalent to that observed after intravenous injection of the BNAc itself. These results demonstrate that the kidney contributes to the initial intraorgan generation of BNAc and that this mercapturic acid is also synthesized in the liver and preferentially excreted into urine.

Chemical-induced nephrotoxicity mediated by glutathione S-conjugate formation

Glutathione conjugation has been identified as an important detoxication reaction. However, several glutathione-dependent bioactivation reactions have been identified. Current knowledge on the mechanisms and the possible biological importance of these reactions is discussed in this article. Vicinal dihaloalkanes are transformed by glutathione S-transferase-catalyzed reactions to mutagenic and nephrotoxic S-(2-haloethyl) glutathione S-conjugates. Electrophilic episulphonium ions are the ultimate reactive intermediates formed and interact with nucleic acids. Several polychlorinated alkenes are bioactivated in a complex, glutathione-dependent pathway. The first step is hepatic glutathione S-conjugate formation followed by cleavage to the corresponding cysteine S-conjugates, and, after translocation to the kidney, metabolism by renal cystein conjugate beta-lyase. Beta-Lyase-dependent metabolism of halovinyl cysteine S-conjugates yields electrophilic thioketenes, whose covalent binding to cellular macromolecules is likely to be responsible for the observed nephrotoxicity of the parent compounds. Finally, hepatic glutathione conjugate formation with hydroquinones and aminophenols yields conjugates that are directed to gamma-glutamyltransferase-rich tissues, such as the kidney, where they cause alkylation or redox cycling reactions, or both, that cause organ-selective damage.

Contribution of ion pair complexation with bile salts to biliary excretion of organic cations in rats

The objective of this study was to examine whether ion pair complexation with endogenous bile salts in hepatocytes contributes to the preferential biliary excretion of organic cations (OCs). Tributylmethylammonium (TBuMA; mol wt 200) and triethylmethylammonium (TEMA; mol wt 116) were selected as model OCs that exhibit significant and negligible biliary excretion, respectively, in rats. The apparent lipophilicity of TBuMA, but not that of TEMA, was increased by the presence of either rat bile or specific bile salts, suggesting the formation of lipophilic ion pair complexes for TBuMA with bile salts in the liver. The uptake of TBuMA into canalicular liver plasma membrane (cLPM) vesicles, but not that of TEMA, was increased in the presence of bile salts, with a significant increase for both ATP-dependent transport and passive diffusion. The uptake of TBuMA in the presence of the bile salts was inhibited by representative P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates and vice versa, suggesting the involvement of P-gp in the canalicular excretion of TBuMA-bile salt complexes in vivo. Increased affinity toward P-gp is suggested as the mechanism responsible for the increased ATP-dependent transport for the ion pair complexes. We propose that ion pair formation with bile slats in hepatocytes may be responsible for the preferential biliary excretion of high-molecular-weight OCs including TBuMA.

Transporters on demand: intrahepatic pools of canalicular ATP binding cassette transporters in rat liver

ABC transporter trafficking in rat liver induced by cAMP or taurocholate and [(35)S]methionine metabolic labeling followed by subcellular fractionation were used to identify and characterize intrahepatic pools of ABC transporters. ABC transporter trafficking induced by cAMP or taurocholate is a physiologic response to a temporal demand for increased bile secretion. Administration of cAMP or taurocholate to rats increased amounts of SPGP, MDR1, and MDR2 in the bile canalicular membrane by 3-fold; these effects abated after 6 h and were insensitive to prior treatment of rats with cycloheximide. Half-lives of ABC transporters were 5 days, which suggests cycling of ABC transporters between canalicular membrane and intrahepatic sites before degradation. In vivo [(35)S]methionine labeling of rats followed by immunoprecipitation of (sister of P-glycoprotein) (SPGP) from subcellular liver fractions revealed a steady state distribution after 20 h of SPGP between canalicular membrane and a combined endosomal fraction. After mobilization of transporters from intrahepatic sites with cAMP or taurocholate, a significant increase in the amount of ABC transporters in canalicular membrane vesicles was observed, whereas the decrease in the combined endosomal fraction remained below detection limits in Western blots. This observation is in accordance with relatively large intracellular ABC transporter pools compared with the amount present in the bile canalicular membrane. Furthermore, trafficking of newly synthesized SPGP through intrahepatic sites was accelerated by additional administration of cAMP but not by taurocholate, indicating two distinct intrahepatic pools. Our data indicate that ABC transporters cycle between the bile canaliculus and at least two large intrahepatic ABC transporter pools, one of which is mobilized to the canalicular membrane by cAMP and the other, by taurocholate. In parallel to regulation of other membrane transporters, we propose that the "cAMP-pool" in hepatocytes corresponds to a recycling endosome, whereas recruitment from the "taurocholate-pool" involves a hepatocyte-specific mechanism.

Biliary excretory function is regulated by canalicular membrane fluidity associated with phospholipid fatty acyl chains in the bilayer: implications for the pathophysiology of cholestasis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Bile canalicular membrane fluidity is modulated by phospholipid molecular species within membrane lipid bilayers. Thus, organellar membrane lipid composition is a determinant of canalicular function. In this study, the effect of phalloidin-induced cholestasis on bile lipid composition and liver subcellular membrane fraction composition in rats was examined to clarify the relationship between cholestasis and hepatic lipid metabolism.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Each rat received one phalloidin dose (400 microg/kg, i.v.). After the bile was collected, liver microsomes and canalicular membranes were analysed. The bile flow rate decreased by 50% 3.5 h after phalloidin administration. Although the bile acid output remained almost the same, the phospholipid and cholesterol output were significantly decreased (by 40.3+/-5.97% and 76.9+/-5.56%, respectively). Thus, the cholesterol:phospholipid (C:P) ratio in bile was significantly decreased by 80.4+/-10.1%. Phalloidin administration also increased the saturated: unsaturated fatty acid ratio (S:U) in bile for phosphatidylcholine by 25.5+/-3.2%. In the canalicular membrane, the C:P and S:U ratios for phosphatidylcholine were increased (24.8+/-4.2% and 34.4+/-6.9%, respectively), while the S:U for sphingomyelin was decreased by 61.0+/-6.2%. In microsomes, the C:P was decreased by 41.0+/-6.0%, but the S:U for both phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin were unaffected. Canalicular membrane fluidity, assayed by 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence depolarization, decreased significantly. Therefore, increased secretion of hydrophobic phosphatidylcholine into bile was associated with more hydrophobic canalicular membrane phosphatidylcholine, while sphingomyelin in the canalicular membrane was less hydrophobic.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that phalloidin uncouples secretion of cholesterol and phospholipids, which causes a redistribution of fatty acyl chain species among canalicular membrane phospholipids that alters membrane fluidity. These changes may be a homeostatic response mediated by the phospholipid translocator in the canalicular membrane, although direct evidence for this is unavailable.

Newly synthesized canalicular ABC transporters are directly targeted from the Golgi to the hepatocyte apical domain in rat liver

Newly synthesized canalicular ectoenzymes and a cell adhesion molecule (cCAM105) have been shown to traffic from the Golgi to the basolateral plasma membrane, from where they transcytose to the apical bile canalicular domain. It has been proposed that all canalicular proteins are targeted via this indirect route in hepatocytes. We studied the membrane targeting of rat canalicular proteins by in vivo [(35)S]methionine metabolic labeling followed by preparation of highly purified Golgi membranes and canalicular (CMVs) and sinusoidal/basolateral (SMVs) membrane vesicles and subsequent immunoprecipitation. In particular, we compared membrane targeting of newly synthesized canalicular ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters MDR1, MDR2, and SPGP (sister of P-glycoprotein) with that of cCAM105. Significant differences were observed in metabolic pulse-chase labeling experiments with regard to membrane targeting of these apical proteins. After a chase time of 15 min, cCAM105 appeared exclusively in SMVs, peaked at 1 h, and progressively declined thereafter. In CMVs, cCAM105 was first detected after 1 h and subsequently increased for 3 h. This findings confirm the transcytotic targeting of cCAM105 reported in earlier studies. In contrast, at no time point investigated were MDR1, MDR2, and SPGP detected in SMVs. In CMVs, MDR1 and MDR2 appeared after 30 min, whereas SPGP appeared after 2 h of labeling. In Golgi membranes, each of the ABC transporters peaked at 30 min and was virtually absent thereafter. These data suggest rapid, direct targeting of newly synthesized MDR1 and MDR2 from the Golgi to the bile canaliculus and transient sequestering of SPGP in an intracellular pool en route from the Golgi to the apical plasma membrane. This study provides biochemical evidence for direct targeting of newly synthesized apical ABC transporters from the Golgi to the bile canaliculus in vivo.

Localization of plasma membrane CD38 is domain specific in rat hepatocyte

CD38 is a 42- to 45-kDa type II transmembrane glycoprotein with the ability to synthesize cADPR, a metabolite with potent calcium mobilizing properties independent of IP(3). We report here the primary characterization and localization of CD38 in the plasma membrane fraction of rat hepatocyte. Western blot analysis of a partially purified plasma membrane fraction with a panel of polyclonal antibodies against CD38 detected a 42- to 45-kDa protein band which is characteristic of CD38. ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity was found to be present in the plasma membrane fraction, indicating the presence of functionally active CD38. Subfractionation of the plasma membrane to the sinusoidal and bile canalicular membrane fractions showed the presence of ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity in both fractions with the sinusoidal membrane fraction having a 10-fold higher specific activity than the bile canalicular membrane fraction. Immunohistochemical staining with the same panel of polyclonal antibodies showed exclusive differential spatial localization to both the nuclei and sinusoidal domain of the plasma membrane. It is possible that the different spatial distribution of CD38 in the rat hepatocyte might be responsible for its myriad of previously known functional roles.

Effect of a urinary preparation on liver injury by short-term carbon tetrachloride treatment in rats

The hepatoprotective effect of a preparation of human urine (PHU) was assessed against short-term carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment in rats. Significant prevention of liver injury by PHU was found after CCl4 treatment, judging by the changes of serum biochemical parameters, and hepatic protein and triglyceride contents. The increased liver lipid peroxidation, and decreased liver vitamin C concentrations observed after CCl4 treatment were significantly prevented by PHU administration. The increase in liver glutathione (GSH) contents observed after CCl4 treatment was further increased by PHU treatment. Liver catalase activity decreased after CCl4 treatment, while liver superoxide dismutase and GSH-peroxidase activities did not change. PHU administration further inhibited the decrease in liver catalase activity after CCl4 treatment. These results indicate that PHU administration can prevent liver injury induced by CCl4 in rats by inhibiting enhanced lipid peroxidation and by improving disrupted active oxygen metabolism in the injured liver.

MRP3, a new ATP-binding cassette protein localized to the canalicular domain of the hepatocyte

Bile secretion in liver is driven in large part by ATP-binding cassette (ABC)-type proteins that reside in the canalicular membrane and effect ATP-dependent transport of bile acids, phospholipids, and non-bile acid organic anions. Canalicular ABC-type proteins can be classified into two subfamilies based on membrane topology and sequence identity: MDR1, MDR3, and SPGP resemble the multidrug resistance (MDR) P-glycoprotein, whereas MRP2 is similar in structure and sequence to the multidrug resistance protein MRP1 and transports similar substrates. We now report the isolation of the rMRP3 gene from rat liver, which codes for a protein 1522 amino acids in length that exhibits extensive sequence similarity with MRP1 and MRP2. Northern blot analyses indicate that rMRP3 is expressed in lung and intestine of Sprague-Dawley rats as well as in liver of Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats and TR- mutant rats, which are deficient in MRP2 expression. rMRP3 expression is also transiently induced in liver shortly after birth and during obstructive cholestasis. Antibodies raised against MRP3 recognize a polypeptide of 190-200 kDa, which is reduced in size to 155-165 kDa after treatment with endoglycosidases. Immunoblot analysis and immunoconfocal microscopy indicate that rMRP3 is present in the canalicular membrane, suggesting that it may play a role in bile formation.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase lipid products regulate ATP-dependent transport by sister of P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance associated protein 2 in bile canalicular membrane vesicles

Bile acid transport and secretion in hepatocytes require phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase-dependent recruitment of ATP-dependent transporters to the bile canalicular membrane and are accompanied by increased canalicular PI 3-kinase activity. We report here that the lipid products of PI 3-kinase also regulate ATP-dependent transport of taurocholate and dinitrophenyl-glutathione directly in canalicular membranes. ATP-dependent transport of taurocholate and dinitrophenyl-glutathione in isolated canalicular vesicles from rat liver was reduced 50-70% by PI 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin, and LY294002, at concentrations that are specific for Type I PI 3-kinase. Inhibition was reversed by addition of lipid products of PI 3-kinase (PI 3,4-bisphosphate and, to a lesser extent, PI 3-phosphate and PI 3,4,5-trisphosphate) but not by PI 4, 5-bisphosphate. A membrane-permeant synthetic 10-mer peptide that binds polyphosphoinositides and leads to activation of PI 3-kinase in macrophages doubled PI 3-kinase activity in canalicular membrane vesicles and enhanced taurocholate and dinitrophenyl-glutathione transport in canalicular membrane vesicles above maximal ATP-dependent transport. The effect of the peptide was blocked by wortmannin and LY294002. PI 3-kinase activity was also necessary for function of the transporters in vivo. ATP-dependent transport of taurocholate and PI 3-kinase activity were reduced in canalicular membrane vesicles isolated from rat liver that had been perfused with taurocholate and wortmannin. PI 3,4-bisphosphate enhanced ATP-dependent transport of taurocholate in these vesicles above control levels. Our results indicate that PI 3-kinase lipid products are necessary in vivo and in vitro for maximal ATP-dependent transport of bile acid and nonbile acid organic anions across the canalicular membrane. Our results demonstrate regulation of membrane ATP binding cassette transporters by PI 3-kinase lipid products.

The role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase in taurocholate-induced trafficking of ATP-dependent canalicular transporters in rat liver

Recent studies indicate that wortmannin, a potent inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, interferes with bile acid secretion in rat liver; taurocholate induces recruitment of ATP-dependent transporters to the bile canalicular membrane, and PI 3-kinase products are important in intracellular trafficking. We investigated the role of PI 3-kinase in bile acid secretion by studying the in vivo effect of taurocholate, colchicine, and wortmannin on bile acid secretion, kinase activity, and protein levels in canalicular membrane vesicle (CMV) and sinusoidal membrane vesicle (SMV) fractions from rat liver. Treatment of rats or perfusion of isolated liver with taurocholate significantly increased PI 3-kinase activity in both membrane fractions. Taurocholate increased protein content of ATP-dependent transporters, which were detected only in CMVs, whereas increased levels of p85 and a cell adhesion molecule, cCAM 105, were observed in both fractions. Colchicine prevented taurocholate-induced changes in all proteins studied, as well as the increase in PI 3-kinase activity in CMVs, but it resulted in further accumulation of PI 3-kinase activity, p85, and cCAM 105 in SMVs. These results indicate that taurocholate-mediated changes involve a microtubular system. Wortmannin blocked taurocholate-induced bile acid secretion. The effect was more profound when wortmannin was administered prior to treatment with taurocholate. When wortmannin was given after taurocholate, the protein levels of each ATP-dependent transporter were maintained in CMVs, whereas the levels of p85 and cCAM decreased in both membrane fractions. Perfusion of liver with wortmannin before taurocholate administration blocked accumulation of all proteins studied in CMVs and SMVs. These results indicate that PI 3-kinase is required for intracellular trafficking of itself, as well as of ATP-dependent canalicular transporters.

Functional expression of P-glycoprotein in the hepatic canalicular membrane of developing rats

P-glycoprotein (P-gp), the multidrug resistance gene product, is expressed in a normal liver exclusively on the canalicular membrane of the hepatocyte. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of age on the P-gp transport system using canalicular membrane (cLPM) vesicles isolated from the liver of developing (22 days old) and adult rats. No differences in protein yield, intravesicular volumes, and enrichments of cLPM enzymes or enzymes representing contamination of subcellular organelles were found for vesicles isolated from both groups, demonstrating the isolation of similar cLPM vesicle preparations. The transport of daunomycin (DNM), a P-gp substrate, was used to study age-related functional differences in P-gp. DNM uptake in the presence of ATP was greater than uptake in the absence of ATP in both young and adult cLPM vesicles, showing that P-gp is functional in both groups. In young and adult groups only ATP was a potent stimulator of transport when compared with ATP degradation products and a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue. Although ATP-dependent uptake tended to be greater in the adult compared to the young, there was no statistically significant difference in DNM kinetics (Vmax, km, gamma) between groups. Canalicular membrane from the young rats showed decreased fluidity, as assessed by the fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene; however there was no significant difference between groups. Examination of P-gp expression using the monoclonal antibody C219 revealed similar levels of expression in the young as in the adult. Our results suggest that P-gp in the bile canaliculus of developing rats is functional with similar levels of function and expression as observed in the adult.

Effect of cholestasis induced by organic anion on the lipid composition of hepatic membrane subfractions and bile in rats

Several organic anions inhibit the secretion of cholesterol and phospholipid into bile without affecting total bile acid secretion (uncoupling). The uncoupling induced by sulphobromophthalein (BSP) alters the fatty acid composition of biliary lecithin. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the lipid composition of bile and of liver subcellular membrane fractions during BSP-induced uncoupling. After depletion of the bile salt pool, rats fitted with a bile duct cannulus were infused with sodium taurocholate given either alone or with BSP. Bile was collected and liver microsomes and canalicular membranes were isolated for analysis of lipid composition. In bile, uncoupling increased the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio (C/P ratio) and the saturated/unsaturated fatty acid ratio (S/U ratio) in phosphatidylcholine. The C/P ratio was increased in the canalicular membrane, but the membrane phosphatidylcholine S/U ratio was decreased during uncoupling. In microsomes, the S/U ratio of membrane phosphatidylcholine was slightly increased, but the C/P ratio was unaffected during uncoupling. These results support the hypothesis that an increased secretion of hydrophobic phosphatidylcholine species from the canalicular membrane into bile reduces the proportion of hydrophobic phosphatidylcholine species in the canalicular membrane during uncoupling. The decreased contribution of hydrophobic phosphatidylcholine species may ameliorate the decrease in membrane fluidity resulting from the accumulation of cholesterol in the canalicular membrane and stimulate the synthesis of hydrophobic phosphatidylcholine species in the microsomes.

Transcytotic vesicle fusion with canalicular membranes is modulated by phospholipid species: implications for biliary lipid secretion

Phospholipid species modulate bile metastability and the subselection of such species for biliary secretion occurs at the canalicular membrane. In this study, the role of phospholipid head groups and hydrophobic indices in transcytotic vesicle fusion with the canalicular membrane inner leaflet was investigated using rat canalicular membrane vesicles (CMV) and liposomes. The CMV were purified from Sprague-Dawley rat liver, and small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) of phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and mixtures of PS/PC (1:1, 2:1 and 4:1) were labelled with 8 mol% of octadecyl rhodamine B chloride (R18). The PC species used in this study were egg yolk PC (EYPC), soybean PC (SBPC), dipalmitoyl PC (DPPC) and dilinoleoyl PC (DLPC). Fusion of SUV with CMV was initiated by the addition of a millimolar concentration of Ca2+ and the degree of fusion was estimated by the increase of R18 fluorescence. Ca(2+)-dependent fusion of SUV consisting of PS, and PS/PC (4:1) with CMV was observed (PS > PS/PC; 4:1), whereas no detectable fusion was evident between CMV and SUV of PC alone or PS/PC (1:1 or 2:1). The rank order of fusibility between CMV and SUV of PS/PC (4:1) containing various PC species was PS/DLPC > PS/SBPC > PS/EYPC > PS/DPPC. The hydrophobic index of PC as determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was related closely to liposome fusibility (r = -0.88). These results suggest that transcytotic vesicle fusion with the canalicular membrane inner leaflet is regulated by the phospholipid hydrophobicity of the vesicles.

A yeast ATP-binding cassette-type protein mediating ATP-dependent bile acid transport

ATP-dependent transport of bile acids is a key determinant of bile flow in mammalian liver and is associated with cholesterol excretion, gallstone formation, and numerous inherited and acquired hepatobiliary diseases. Secretory vesicles and a vacuole enriched fraction purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae also exhibit ATP-dependent bile acid transport. ATP-dependent transport of bile acids by the vacuolar fraction was independent of the vacuolar proton ATPase, responded to changes in the osmotically sensitive intravesicular space, and was saturable, exhibiting a Km of 63 microM for taurocholate. The BAT1 (bile acid transporter) gene was isolated from yeast DNA by polymerase chain reaction amplification using degenerate oligonucleotides hybridizing to conserved regions of ABC-type proteins. ATP-dependent bile acid transport was abolished when the BAT1 coding region was deleted from the genome and restored upon reintroduction of the gene. The deduced amino acid sequence predicts that Bat1p is an ABC-type protein 1661 amino acids in length, similar to mammalian cMOAT/cMRP1 and MRP1 transporters, yeast Ycf1p, and two yeast proteins of unknown function. Information obtained from the yeast BAT1 gene may aid identification of the gene encoding the mammalian bile acid transporter.

Glutathione metabolism in hepatomous liver of rats treated with diethylnitrosamine

Glutathione metabolism was studied in rat liver during diethylnitrosamine (DEN) carcinogenesis. Some studies were also made in foetal rat liver. Endogenous GSH and non-protein thiols concentrations are increased in DEN-treated rats when compared to non-treated rats but no differences were found in cysteine, total thiols and protein thiols concentration. In foetal liver GSH concentration is only 35% of that in DEN-treated rat liver. The activities of several enzymes involved in glutathione metabolism are changed in DEN-treated rats. gamma-Glutamyl transferase activity and cysteine formation from GSH by liver homogenates is increased sevenfold. gamma-Glutamylcysteine synthetase activity, initial rate of [35S]cysteine incorporation in gamma-glutamylcysteine and initial rate of GSH formation from [35S]cysteine are increased two-fold. Cytosolic GSH S-transferase activity is increased twofold in DEN-treated rats and so GSH S-conjugates concentration is probably also increased. In foetal rat liver gamma-glutamyl transferase activity is about the same but gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity is only 10% of that in DEN-treated rat liver. The increased GSH concentration in DEN-treated rat liver is probably due to the simultaneous increase in the activities of gamma-glutamyl transferase and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase. Blood plasma total glutathione is increased 1.4 times in DEN-treated rats, but no differences are found in GSH hepatic arteriovenous gradient. This associated with the increased gamma-glutamyl transferase activity suggests that sinusoidal GSH efflux is increased in DEN-treated rats.

Inhibitors of P-glycoprotein-mediated daunomycin transport in rat liver canalicular membrane vesicles

P-glycoprotein (P-gp), the multidrug resistance (MDR) gene product, is exclusively located on the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes. Recent studies using isolated rat canalicular liver plasma membrane (cLPM) vesicles indicate that daunomycin (DNM) is a substrate for the ATP-dependent P-gp efflux system in the rat liver. The isoforms of P-gp present in cLPM and in cancer cell lines differ in that the major form present in the liver represents the gene product of mdr2 in mice (MDR3 in humans; class III) while the isoform of P-gp in cancer cells is the gene product of mdr1 in mice (MDR1 in humans, class I). The objective of this study was to examine the inhibitory effects of various organic compounds, most of which have been studied previously in MDR cancer cells, on P-gp-mediated [3H]DNM uptake into cLPM. Also, the stereospecificity of P-gp for its substrates was investigated by comparing the inhibitory effects of the enantiomers and the racemic mixtures of verapamil and propranolol. DNM exhibited ATP-dependent active transport into rat liver cLPM with a Km of 26.8 +/- 13.4 microM and a Vmax of 4.9 +/- 0.8 nmol/45 s/mg of protein (n = 4). ADP, AMP, and a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue did not increase DNM transport over the control value. Thirty-one potential inhibitors were examined; only acridine orange, doxorubicin, verapamil, propranolol, phosphatidylcholine, beta-estradiol glucuronide, and DNM itself showed statistically significant inhibition of [3H]DNM uptake into cLPM. These results suggest that only a limited number of substrates bind to or are transported across the hepatic canalicular membrane via P-gp. Phosphatidylcholine, a substrate for the gene product of the class III P-gp gene, produced significant inhibition of [3H]DNM transport (30.6% at a 10-fold-higher substrate concentration), suggesting that transport may be mediated, at least in part, by this P-gp gene product. There were no statistically significant differences in the inhibitory effects of the enantiomers and racemate of verapamil on [3H]DNM transport into cLPM, but the enantiomers of propranolol exhibited stereospecific inhibition of DNM transport. (R)-(+)-Propranolol produced a statistically significant inhibition of [3H]DNM transport similar to that observed with the racemic mixture, while (S)(-)-propranolol showed no inhibition. These findings suggest that bile canalicular P-gp may exhibit stereospecificity of binding or transport for its substrates.

Biotransformation and membrane transport in nephrotoxicity

The kidney is a frequent target organ for toxic effects of xenobiotics. In recent years, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the selective renal toxicity of many nephrotoxic xenobiotics have been elucidated. Accumulation by renal transport mechanisms, and thus aspects of renal physiology, plays an important role in the renal toxicity of some antibiotics, metals, and agents binding to low molecular weight proteins such as alpha(2u)-globulin. The accumulation by active transport of metabolites formed in other organs is involved in the kidney-specific toxicity of certain polyhaloalkanes, polyhaloalkenes, hydroquinones, and aminophenols. Other xenobiotics are selectively metabolized to reactive electrophiles by enzymes expressed in the kidney. This review summarizes the present knowledge on the mechanistic basis of target organ selectivity of these compounds.

Current concepts of hepatic uptake, intracellular transport and biliary secretion of bile acids: physiological basis and pathophysiological changes in cholestatic liver dysfunction

Hepatic sinusoidal uptake of bile acids is mediated by defined carrier proteins against unfavourable concentration and electrical gradients. Putative carrier proteins have been identified using bile acid photoaffinity labels and more recently using immunological probes, such as monoclonal antibodies. At the sinusoidal domain, proteins with molecular weights of 49 and 54 kDa have been shown to be carriers for bile acid transport. The 49 kDa protein has been associated with the Na(+)-dependent uptake of conjugated bile acids, while the 54 kDa carrier has been involved in the Na(+)-independent bile acid uptake process. Within the hepatocyte, cytosolic proteins, such as the glutathione S-transferase (also designated the Y protein), the Y binders and the fatty acid binding proteins, are able to bind bile acids and possibly facilitate their movement to the canalicular domain. At the canalicular domain a 100 kDa carrier protein has been isolated and it has been shown by several laboratories that this particular protein is concerned with canalicular bile acid transport. The system is ATP-dependent and follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Interference with bile acid transport has been demonstrated by several chemicals. The mechanisms by which these chemicals inhibit bile acid transport may explain the apparent cholestatic properties observed in patients and experimental animals treated with these agents. Several studies have shown that Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity is markedly decreased in cholestasis induced by ethinyloestradiol, taurolithocholate and chlorpromazine. However, other types of interference have been described and the cholestatic effects may be the result of several mechanisms. Cholestasis is associated with several adaptive changes that may be responsible for the accumulation of bile acids and other cholephilic compounds in the blood of these patients. It may be speculated that the nature of these changes is to protect liver parenchymal cells from an accumulation of bile acids to toxic levels. However, more detailed quantitative experiments are necessary to answer questions with regard to the significance of these changes and the effect of various hepatobiliary disorders in modifying these mechanisms. It is expected that the mechanisms by which bile acid transport is regulated and efforts to understand the molecular basis for these processes will be among the areas of future research.

Culture matrix configuration and composition in the maintenance of hepatocyte polarity and function

Several extracellular matrix (ECM) configurations involving type I collagen and Matrigel were examined for their ability to support differentiated function and polarity of cultured adult rat hepatocytes. Collagen sandwich- and Matrigel-based cultures yielded superior and comparable albumin secretion for at least 2 weeks. In collagen sandwich, hepatocytes were polygonal, and formed multicellular arrays. Collagen sandwich was also found to promote in vivo-like polarization of F-actin, cell adhesion molecules (E-cadherin), and lateral (Na+, K(+)-ATPase, glucose transporter) and apical (dipeptidyl peptidase, aminopeptidase) membrane polarity markers, but not the expression of the gap junction protein connexin 32 and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. In contrast, hepatocytes cultured in or on Matrigel were more rounded and formed aggregates. Matrigel-based cultures also elicited detectable levels of connexin and EGF receptor and an altered distribution of F-actin, E-cadherin, and apical and lateral membrane proteins. Composite sandwich configurations containing collagen I and Matrigel restored markers lacking in the collagen sandwich, and showed a variable morphology and membrane polarity. Hepatocyte polarity could thus be manipulated by the overall ECM composition. Furthermore, in composite sandwich cultures, these manipulations can be effected largely independent of changes in hepatocyte morphology and albumin secretion.

Biotransformation and renal processing of nephrotoxic agents

Nephrotoxicity is often observed as an endpoint in animal toxicity studies. In recent years, the mechanisms of biotransformation, which often provide the basis for renal toxicity, have been elucidated for a variety of compounds. These studies showed that nephrotoxicity of chemicals is either due to accumulation of certain metabolites in the kidney and further bioactivation or due to intrarenal bioactivation of the parent xenobiotic. Both types of mechanisms will be discussed using two relevant samples. The polychlorinated olefin hexachlorobutadiene and other haloolefins cause necrosis of the S-3 segment of the proximal tubules; their nephrotoxicity is dependent on bioactivation reactions. In the liver, hexachlorobutadiene is transformed by conjugation with glutathione to (S-pentachlorobutadienyl)glutathione. This S-conjugate is processed by the enzymes of mercapturic acid formation to give N-acetyl-(S-pentachlorobutadienyl)-L-cysteine, which is accumulated in the proximal tubule cells and deacetylated there to give (S-pentachlorobutadienyl)-L-cysteine. Further bioactivation is catalyzed by renal cysteine conjugate beta-lyase. Both the renal accumulation by the organic anion transporter and the topographical distribution of cysteine conjugate beta-lyase along the nephron are major determinants of organ and cell selectivity. Vinylidene chloride (VDC) is nephrotoxic in mice after inhalation, but not after oral or intraperitoneal administration. The nephrotoxicity of VDC is due to the selective expression of an androgen-dependent cytochrome P450 in the proximal tubules of male mice. This enzyme oxidizes VDC to an electrophile and is not present in female mice, but can be induced be androgen treatment. The observation of nephrotoxicity of VDC after inhalation only is due to the high blood flow to the kidney and thus high concentrations of VDC delivered to the kidney after inhalation. After oral or intraperitoneal application, hepatic first-pass metabolism efficiently reduces the amount of VDC delivered to the kidney. The results demonstrated here demonstrate that prior to in vitro nephrotoxicity screening, toxicokinetics and biotransformation pathways for a chemical have to be elucidated and metabolites have to be included into the testing regimen.

Induction of hepatic P-glycoprotein enhances biliary excretion of vincristine in rats

To clarify the contribution of P-glycoprotein to the biliary excretion of vincristine in rats, the effects of induction of hepatic P-glycoprotein by a phenothiazine treatment on the biliary excretion of [3H]vincristine were investigated. Immunoblot analysis using C219, a monoclonal antibody to P-glycoprotein, demonstrated that the phenothiazine treatment increased the P-glycoprotein level in isolated bile canalicular membrane vesicles approximately 6.5-fold. Transport of [3H]vincristine to canalicular membrane vesicles from the phenothiazine-treated and control rats revealed ATP-dependency, with an overshoot that results from the consumption of medium ATP. The maximum ATP-dependent uptake was increased in canalicular membrane vesicles from the phenothiazine-treated rats approximately 2-fold compared to the control. The biliary excretion of [3H]vincristine was further studied using an indicator dilution method in a single-pass perfused liver. The ratios of the cumulative amount of [3H]vincristine excreted into the bile ot the amount of [3H]vincristine taken up by the liver at 15, 30 and 90 min were significantly increased in the phenothiazine-treated rats by 60, 45 and 25%, respectively, compared to the control rats. Furthermore, the corrected mean residence time of [3H]vincristine in hepatocytes in the phenothiazine-treated rats was reduced to 21 min from that in the control rats (30 min), supporting the contention that the induction of hepatic P-glycoprotein on the bile canalicular membrane function sas a transporter not only in the isolated membrane but also in the more physiological perfused liver system. One must be cautious in the interpretation of the data, however, since phenothiazine can induce other proteins which might affect the behavior of [3H]vincristine.

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.

Bile canalicular cationic dye secretion as a model for P-glycoprotein mediated transport

This study explores properties of P-glycoprotein dependent membrane transport in rat liver with the use of acridine orange as the substrate. We studied the biliary secretion of the dye, its binding to canalicular membrane P-glycoprotein, and effects of the inhibitor cyclosporin A: acridine orange is excreted into bile together with less hydrophobic and glucuronidated metabolites. Cyclosporin A inhibited both the secretion of acridine orange and of its metabolites. In TR- animals, a rat strain that is deficient of the canalicular multi-specific organic anion transport system, non-metabolized acridine orange is the predominant species in bile and its secretion is also inhibited by cyclosporin A. Binding of acridine orange to liver P-glycoprotein was analyzed by photoaffinity labeling with azidopine, a substrate of P-glycoprotein dependent transport in multi-drug resistant tumor cells. Labeling of the immunoprecipitated P-glycoprotein was inhibited by acridine orange, verapamil, and by cyclosporin A. The results show that biliary secretion of acridine orange is highly analogous to P-glycoprotein mediated membrane drug transport in tumor cells that exhibit multi-drug resistance.

Glutathione conjugation and conversion to mercapturic acids can occur as an intrahepatic process

By catalyzing the reaction of electrophilic compounds with the sulfhydryl group of glutathione, the glutathione S-transferases play physiologically important roles in the detoxication of potential alkylating agents. The glutathione S-conjugates thus formed are transported out of cells for further metabolism by gamma-glutamyltransferase and dipeptidases, ectoproteins that catalyze the sequential removal of the glutamyl and glycyl moieties, respectively. These ectoproteins are not found in all cells, but are localized predominantly to the apical surface of epithelial tissues. The resulting cysteine S-conjugates can be reabsorbed by specific cell types, and acetylated on the amino group of the cysteinyl residue by intracellular N-acetyl-transferases, to form the corresponding mercapturic acids (N-acetylcysteine S-conjugates). Mercapturic acids are then released into the circulation and delivered to the kidney for excretion in urine, or they may undergo further metabolism. Mercapturic acid biosynthesis is generally considered to be an interorgan process, with the liver serving as the major site of glutathione conjugation, and the kidney as the primary site for conversion of glutathione conjugates to cysteine conjugates. Cysteine conjugates formed in the kidney appear to be transported back to the liver for acetylation. This interorgan model of mercapturic acid synthesis is based largely on the interorgan distribution of the enzymes involved in their formation, and in particular of the enzyme gamma-glutamyltransferase. Rats have relatively low hepatic and high renal activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase, the only protein known to initiate the breakdown of glutathione S-conjugates. The low gamma-glutamyltransferase activity in rat liver limits the hepatic degradation of glutathione S-conjugates, particularly after large doses of xenobiotic. In contrast, hepatic gamma-glutamyltransferase is significantly higher in species such as rabbit, guinea pig, and dog, and as a consequence, nearly all of the glutathione and glutathione S-conjugates released by liver cells of these species is degraded within the liver. Recent studies demonstrate that glutathione S-conjugates synthesized within hepatocytes are secreted preferentially across the canalicular membrane into bile, and are broken down within biliary spaces to form cysteine S-conjugates. The latter are then reabsorbed by the liver, N-acetylated to form mercapturic acids, and reexcreted into bile, completing an intrahepatic pathway for mercapturic acid biosynthesis. The contribution of this intrahepatic pathway to overall mercapturate formation is dependent on dose of the electrophile, route of exposure, and the physicochemical properties of the glutathione S-conjugate formed, as well as the tissue distribution and activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Hepatic vectorial transport of xenobiotics

The vectorial transport of xenobiotics across the hepatocyte is mediated by various transport and transfer proteins that differ in ligand specificity and function. The influx of xenobiotics from the blood across the sinusoidal membrane of the hepatocyte can occur through passive or active transport processes. Once in the cell, xenobiotics can be sequestered by intracellular transfer proteins that prevent refluxing of the chemical back through the sinusoidal membrane. Transfer proteins may also facilitate the localization of the xenobiotics within the cell to sites of metabolism (i.e., the endoplasmic reticulum) or elimination (i.e., the canalicular membrane). Intracellular transfer proteins include glutathione S-transferases, fatty acid-binding proteins, and 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Intracellular nuclear transfer proteins have also been identified that facilitate the transfer of chemical carcinogens from the cytoplasm into the cell nucleus. Several active transport proteins exist on the canalicular membrane of the hepatocyte that mediate the efflux of chemicals from the cell into the biliary canaliculus. Xenobiotic efflux proteins include the multispecific organic anion transporter, that eliminates xenobiotics that have undergone conjugation with glutathione, glucuronic acid, and possibly sulfate; and, P-glycoprotein, an active transporter that actively effluxes a variety of structurally diverse xenobiotics. Induction of P-glycoprotein by the amplification of its gene has been identified as a major cause of resistance of tumor cells to the toxicity of a variety of anti-cancer drugs. The hepatic induction of P-glycoprotein may also contribute to acquired resistance of organisms to environmental toxicants. Continued elucidation of xenobiotic transport and transfer processes at the cellular levels will significantly advance our understanding of processes involved in xenobiotic toxicity and acquired resistance to chemical toxicity.

Inhibition of P-glycoprotein-mediated vinblastine transport across HCT-8 intestinal carcinoma monolayers by verapamil, cyclosporine A and SDZ PSC 833 in dependence on extracellular pH

The ability of the multidrug resistance modifiers R- and R,S-verapamil (VPL), cyclosporine A (CsA) and its non-immunosuppressive derivative SDZ PSC 833 (PSC 833) to inhibit P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated transepithelial flux of tritiated vinblastine was investigated using tight and highly resistant (R > 1,400 omega cm2) monolayer cultures of intestinal adenocarcinoma-derived HCT-8 cells grown on permeable tissue-culture inserts. Apical addition of these chemosensitizers inhibited drug flux (137 pmol h-1 cm-2; range, 133-142 pmol h-1 cm-2) in the basal to apical secretory direction at clinically relevant concentrations, with PSC 833 showing the highest activity, exhibiting inhibition at concentrations as low as 10 ng/ml (9 nM). Acidification of the modulator-containing apical compartment to an extracellular pH (pHo) of 6.8 had no influence on MDR reversal by CsA at 1 microgram/ml (0.9 microM; flux inhibition, 52%) or by PSC 833 at 100 ng/ml (0.09 microM; flux inhibition, 60%), in contrast to R,S- and R-VPL, which showed decreased inhibition and caused less accumulation of vinblastine in HCT-8 cells under this condition (flux inhibition of 35% and 23%, respectively, at pHo 6.8 vs 50% and 43%, respectively, at pHo 7.5). P-gp-mediated rhodamine 123 efflux from dye-loaded single-cell suspensions of HCT-8 cells as measured by flow cytometry was not impeded at pHo 6.8 in comparison with pHo 7.5 in standard medium, but at low pHo the inhibitory activity of R-VPL (29% vs 60% rhodamine 123 efflux inhibition) was diminished significantly, again without a reduction in the effect of PSC 833 (rhodamine 123 flux inhibition, 75%). In conclusion, drug extrusion across polarised monolayers, which offer a relevant model for normal epithelia and tumour border areas, is inhibited by the apical presence of R,S- and R-VPL, CsA and PSC 833 at similar concentrations described for single-cell suspensions, resulting in increased (2.2- to 3.7-fold) intracellular drug accumulation. Functional apical P-gp expression, the absence of paracellular leakage and modulator-sensitive rhodamine 123 efflux in single HCT-8 cells indicate a P-gp-mediated transcellular efflux in HCT-8 monolayers. In addition to its high MDR-reversing capacity, the inhibitory activity of PSC 833 is not affected by acidic extracellular conditions, which reduce the VPL-induced drug retention significantly. As far as MDR contributes to the overall cellular drug resistance of solid tumours with hypoxic and acidic microenvironments, PSC 833 holds the greatest promise for clinical reversal of unresponsiveness to the respective group of chemotherapeutics.