Acidosis-induced downregulation of hepatocyte mitochondrial aquaporin-8 and ureagenesis from ammonia

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara M. Molinas ◽  
Leandro R. Soria ◽  
Julieta Marrone ◽  
Mauro Danielli ◽  
Laura Trumper ◽  
...  

It has been proposed that, during metabolic acidosis, the liver downregulates mitochondrial ammonia detoxification via ureagenesis, a bicarbonate-consuming process. Since we previously demonstrated that hepatocyte mitochondrial aquaporin-8 channels (mtAQP8) facilitate the uptake of ammonia and its metabolism into urea, we studied whether mtAQP8 is involved in the liver adaptive response to acidosis. Primary cultured rat hepatocytes were adapted to acidosis by exposing them to culture medium at pH 7.0 for 40 h. Control cells were exposed to pH 7.4. Hepatocytes exposed to acid medium showed a decrease in mtAQP8 protein expression (–30%, p < 0.05). Ureagenesis from ammonia was assessed by incubating the cells with 15N-labeled ammonia and measuring 15N-labeled urea synthesis by nuclear magnetic resonance. Reduced ureagenesis was found in acidified hepatocytes (–31%, p < 0.05). In vivo studies in rats subjected to 7 days acidosis also showed decreased protein expression of hepatic mtAQP8 (–50%, p < 0.05) and reduced liver urea content (–35%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, our in vitro and in vivo data suggest that hepatic mtAQP8 expression is downregulated in acidosis, a mechanism that may contribute to decreased ureagenesis from ammonia in response to acidosis.

1991 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-213
Author(s):  
Gabi Schepers ◽  
Christiane Aschmann ◽  
Sabine Mörchel

An in vitro test protocol is reported, which, using primary cultured rat hepatocytes, allows for the screening of xenobiotic effects on biotransformation as well as on basal cellular functions. O-Deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin (7-EC) and subsequent conjugation of the metabolite 7-hydroxycoumarin (7-HC) with sulphate or glucuronic acid are determined, as representative parameters for the hepatic biotransformation. Cell viability is examined by measuring cellular ATP content and leakage of lactate dehydrogenase. With respect to immediate and delayed effects on biotransformation reactions, the standard test protocol includes exposure to xenobiotics for 1, 24 and 48 hours. Different response patterns could be demonstrated for the solvents dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), and the chlorinated phenols, pentachlorophenol (PCP) and hexachlorophene (HCP), which are known to uncouple mitochondrial respiration. Short-term incubation with the solvents resulted in decreased 7-EC- O-deethylation without signs of cytotoxicity. PCP and HCP inhibited 7-EC- O-deethylation and 7-HC-conjugation, affecting sulphate and glucuronide formation differently. 24-hour exposures to PCP and HCP resulted in decreased 7-ethoxycoumarin- O-deethylase activity, which correlated with diminished cell viability, while DMSO and DMF enhanced 7-EC- O-deethylation at sub-cytotoxic concentrations. After exposure for 48 hours to the solvents, enzyme induction was even more pronounced.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 1334-1334
Author(s):  
Robert W. Georgantas ◽  
Richard Hildreth ◽  
Jonathan Alder ◽  
Carlo M. Croce ◽  
George A. Calin ◽  
...  

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRs) are a recently realized class of epigenetic elements which block translation of mRNA to protein. MicroRNAs have been shown to control cellular metabolism, apoptosis, differentiation and development in numerous organisms including drosophila, rat, mouse, and humans. Recently, miRs have been implicated in the control of hematopoiesis. Importantly, both aberrant expression and deletion of miRs are have been associated with the development of various cancers. In a previous study, we determined the gene expression profiles of HSC-enriched, HPC-enriched, and total CD34+ cells from human PBSC, BM, and CB. One rather surprising finding from this study was that virtually all of “hematopoietic important” genes were expressed at virtually identical levels within all populations examined. One of our hypotheses to explain this phenomena was that miRs may control differentiation by controlling protein expression from these “hematopoietic” RNAs. To examine the possible role of miRs in normal hematopoiesis and their relation to the HSPC transcriptome, we used mir-miroarrays to determine the miR expression profile of primary normal human mobilized blood and bone marrow CD34+ hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells (HSPCs). We have combined this miR data with (1) our extensive mRNA expression data obtained previously for CD34+ HSPCs, CD34+/CD38−/Lin- stem cell-enriched, CD34+/CD38+/Lin+ progenitor-enriched populations, and total CD34+ HSPC (Georgantas, Cancer Research 64:4434) and (2) miR target predictions from various published algorithms. Combining these datasets into one integrated database allowed us to bioinformaticly examine the global interaction of HSPC mRNAs and miRs during hematopoiesis. The 3′UTR sequences from many of these “hematopoietic” mRNA were cloned behind a luciferase reporter. K562 cells were transfected with these luc-3′UTR constructs, confirmating that expression of many important hematopoietic proteins are controlled by miRs. Based on our bioinformatic and protein expression studies, we present a global in silico model by which microRNAs control and direct hematopoietic differentiation. Actual in vitro and in vivo studies addressing the action of specific miRs in hematopoietic differentiation are presented in separate abstracts.


1958 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Holland ◽  
M. J. Pickett

Brucella suis, Brucella abortus, and Brucella melitensis were shown by microscopic and cultural procedures to multiply extensively within normal rat, mouse, and guinea pig monocytes maintained in vitro in cell cultures for 3 days. Intracellular growth of brucellae had no observable toxic effects on most monocytes, although many of the cells became completely engorged with brucellae within 3 days. Non-smooth brucellae and strain 19 multiplied slowly within normal monocytes. In contrast, "immune" monocytes) i.e. those derived from animals previously infected with smooth brucellae, greatly restricted the intracellular growth of smooth and non-smooth brucellae and strain 19. Growth of smooth Brucella, within either normal or "immune" monocytes, was not influenced by addition of Brucella antiserum to the culture medium. Desensitization of immunized guinea pigs did not diminish the refractory state of their monocytes. Cellular resistance did not develop when animals were vaccinated with heat-killed brucellae, though these animals did produce agglutinating antibody. Similarly, vaccination of animals with living, rough B. suis failed to induce a refractory state in their monocytes, even though the vaccinated animals developed delayed hypersensitivity to smooth Brucella antigen. In vivo studies of Brucella survival in the spleens of normal and vaccinated mice (treated with streptomycin to prevent extracellular survival) gave strong support to the in vitro demonstrations of acquired "cellular immunity." Some implications of these results are discussed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 209 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
M G Bilbao ◽  
M P Di Yorio ◽  
A G Faletti

In this study, we investigated the effect of leptin on the ovarian metalloproteinase system in the rat during the ovulatory process. Ovulation was induced in immature rats primed with gonadotropins. In both in vitro and in vivo experiments, we measured i) the protein expression of the ovarian metalloproteinases (matrix metalloproteinases, MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) by western blot; ii) the gelatinase activity of the ovarian MMPs by zymography; and iii) the inhibitory action of TIMPs by reverse zymography. Using cultures of ovarian explants, leptin increased the activity but not the protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in both culture medium and ovarian tissue, and the protein expression of TIMPs, without a higher inhibitory action of the gelatinase activity. These results suggest either that the increase in TIMP proteins was not sufficient or that the inhibitory actions of TIMPs were impaired to suppress the MMP activity when the ovaries were directly exposed to leptin. To study the in vivo effect, rats received an acute treatment with high doses of leptin to inhibit ovulation. This treatment increased the expression of both the latent and the active forms of MMP-2 but did not result in a greater activity of MMP-2. In addition, the inhibitory action of TIMP-2 was also increased by this treatment. These results suggest that the administration of high doses of leptin could be regulating the follicle wall degradation, at least in part, by increasing the action of the ovarian TIMP-2 as a result of an extraovarian mechanism or signaling pathway.


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