Acid production in the isolated perfused rat liver

Effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on pharmacokinetics of procainamide in rats

Blood level studies were carried out in rats to determine the effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on the distribution pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue steady-state partition coefficients of procainamide. The ethanol-treated rats received 4g/kg of ethanol daily for 28 days in Treatment A and 4 g/kg of ethanol for an initial 7 days, followed by 8 g/kg of ethanol for the subsequent 21 days in Treatment B; the control rats received isocaloric sucrose in the respective groups. As determined from two-compartment analysis of the blood level data, both ethanol treatments significantly decreased the distribution clearance (CLd; k12Vdc) and the apparent first-order rate constant for drug transfer from the central compartment to the tissue compartment (k12) of procainamide without affecting the total body clearance of drug (CL) or the apparent volumes of distribution of drug in the body at steady state (Vdss) and at pseudo-equilibrium (Vd beta). Additionally, the apparent volume of distribution of the drug in the central compartment (Vdc) was 57-62% greater due to both ethanol treatments. Furthermore, the steady-state partition coefficients of the drug were found to be significantly lower in heart and kidneys and greater in fat of the ethanol-treated rats (Treatment B) as compared with those in the control rats. Possible mechanisms are proposed to account for these various effects in light of the known effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on the chemical composition of cell membranes of tissues and organs.

Ethanol exposure in rats: studies on blood gas concentrations, pH and temperature

The effects of different dosages of ethanol on respiration were determined by evaluating arterial blood PCO2, PO2 and pH in rats. Adult, male Sprague Dawley rats were treated per os with either 2, 4 or 6 g/kg of ethanol; controls received deionized water. Blood was sampled from an indwelling femoral artery catheter before treatment and 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min posttreatment. Serum ethanol levels and body temperature was measured concurrently on all animals. This study demonstrates that ethanol ingestion results in a dose-dependent metabolic acidosis and hypothermia in rats. In addition, the highest dose of ethanol, 6 g/kg, resulted in hypoxia.

Interaction between drug acetylation and ethanol, acetate, pyruvate, citrate, and L(-) carnitine in isolated rat liver parenchymal cells

The acetylation of sulfanilamide and procainamide in suspensions of isolated rat parenchymal cells was studied in absence and presence of ethanol (33mM), citrate (4 mM), pyruvate (4 mM), and L(-)carnitine (2 mM). Ethanol treatment enhanced the sulfanilamide acetylation whereas the acetylation of procainamide was considered to be unchanged. Acetate (1-5 mM), citrate, and pyruvate treatment enhanced the acetylation of both sulfanilamide and procainamide. Acetate (4 mM) increased both Km and Vmax of both sulfanilamide and procainamide acetylation. Combined treatment with L(-)carnitine and either acetate, pyruvate, or citrate enhanced the acetylation rate of sulfanilamide more than acetate, pyruvate, or citrate, respectively alone. In cell suspensions treated with L(-) carnitine and acetate or pyruvate, the acetylation kinetics of sulfanilamide changed from zero-to apparent first-order. With procainamide as test drug, a further increase of the acetylation rate was found when L(-) carnitine was added to citrate pyruvate. Acetyl-CoA increased the rate of sulfanilamide acetylation in rat liver homogenates in a dose dependent manner.

Combined effects of ethanol and pH-change on protein synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes

Rat liver parenchymal cells were isolated and incubated for 80 min. in buffered sale solutions. 14C-valine incorporation in the presence of a high concentration of unlabelled valine (4.2 mM) was taken as a measure of protein synthesis. The pH dependence of the synthesis of cell and medium proteins was studied at pH values varying from 6.6 to 7.9. The results showed that maximum protein synthesis occurred close to the physiological pH value. Protein synthesis was reduced at both lower and higher pH-values. Protein synthesis was inhibited by the addition of ethanol (30 mM). The relative inhibition caused by ethanol got more pronounced as the pH of the hepatocyte suspensions was lowered. The metabolism of ethanol resulted in lowering of the pH cell suspension. It is suggested that the depression of protein synthesis by ethanol could be mediated by the fall in pH due to ethanol metabolism.

Incorporation of labelled amino acids into proteins of isolated parenchymal and nonparenchymal rat liver cells in the absence and presence of ethanol

Parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells were isolated from perfused rat livers and incubated at 37 degrees C in the absence and presence of ethanol (50 mM). 1. Nonparenchymal cells prepared by means of centrifugation showed a higher rate of incorporation of L-[U-14C]valine into protein than nonparenchymal cells prepared by means of pronase. Cells prepared by the former method were used for further studies. 2. Protein degradation was present in suspensions of both parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells evidenced by increasing levels of branched amino acids in the intracellular and extracellular compartment during cell incubation. 3. The rate of cellular protein synthesis (corrected for precursor pool specific radioactivity) was of the same order of magnitude in nonparenchymal and parenchymal cells when expressed as nmol valine incorporated per mg protein. This rate was also close to the value found in intact liver by other workers. 4. Approximately 25% of the total radioactivity incorporated during incubation for 2 h was found in proteins released to the medium from parenchymal cells, while the corresponding figure for nonparenchymal cells was 3.5%. 5. Ethanol inhibited incorporation of labelled valine into stationary and medium proteins of parenchymal cells. No such effects were found in nonparenchymal cells. 6. Nonparenchymal cells did not metabolize ethanol while parenchymal cells did, shown by changes in lactate/pyruvate ratio and medium pH. It was concluded that nonparenchymal cells are capable of synthesizing proteins at a rate comparable to that found in parenchymal cells. Protein synthesis in parenchymal cells was inhibited by ethanol, but nonparenchymal protein synthesis was unaffected. This difference may be linked to the ability of the former cell type to metabolize ethanol.

Induction of tryptophan oxygenase by dexamethasone in isolated hepatocytes. Dependence on composition of medium and pH

Hepatocytes were isolated from perfused rat livers. 4 x 10-6 cells/ml were incubated at at 37 degrees C in different media in the absence and presence of a steroid hormone, dexamethasone phosphate (2 x 10-5 M). 1. Hormonal enzyme induction occurred in cells suspended in a simple salt medium, devoid of amino acids and macromolecules. This induction was completely blocked by addition of either actinomycin D (2 mu-g/ml) or cycloheximide (50 mu-g/ml). 2. Incubation of cells in media containing defatted albumin did not enhance hormonal enzyme induction, although disintegration of cells during incubation was reduced. Addition of a crude albumin fraction reduced tryptophan oxygenase induction and dextran completely blocked enzyme induction by dexamethasone. 3. An increase of dexamethasone concentration in the presence of albumin to 9 x 10-5 M was unable to raise enzyme induction further, and a still higher concentration of hormone, 3 x 10-4 M, resulted in reduced enzyme induction. 4. The hormonal induction of tryptophan oxygenase was most pronounced when the pH of the medium was between 7.0 and 7.6, with an optium at 7.3. No induction was found when the pH of the medium was either 6.6 or 7.8. The basal tryptophan oxygenase activity was much less influenced by similar pH variations. It is concluded that hepatocytes in suspension are able to carry out hormone-stimulated enzyme synthesis and that factors influencing this process may be studied under controlled conditions in such systems.