title: Age-associated enhancement of diquat-induced lipid peroxidation and cytotoxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes.
abstract: The effect of age on the toxicity of diquat, a redox cycling compound, was investigated in hepatocytes isolated from mature (6 months) and old (24-29 months) male Fischer 344 rats. Hepatocytes of old rats were more sensitive than those of mature rats to diquat-induced cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase release into the medium). Cell death was preceded by glutathione disappearance, and rates of glutathione depletion were similar in mature and old hepatocytes. In contrast, diquat-induced formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances was much greater in the hepatocytes from old rats, suggesting that increased lipid peroxidation caused the enhanced cytotoxicity. Further experiments revealed that: 1) hepatocytes of mature and old rats were equally sensitive to iron-induced lipid peroxidation; 2) diquat-stimulated production of superoxide anion radical in liver microsomes did not increase with age, but decreased 43%; 3) superoxide dismutase activity was similar in hepatocytes of mature and old rats; 4) inhibition of catalase activity (which diminishes with age in male rats) did not increase diquat toxicity; and 5) malondialdehyde disappearance in intact hepatocytes decreased (33%) with age, but the toxicological significance of the decline in metabolism was uncertain. Thus, the results demonstrated that diquat-induced lipid peroxidation and cytotoxicity increase with age in male rat hepatocytes, but the enhanced sensitivity to diquat poisoning remains unexplained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Rikans
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004178:Diquat / Q000633:toxicity*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013481:Superoxides; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D004178:Diquat; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase