title: Dimethyl sulfoxide enhances lipid synthesis and secretion by long-term cultures of adult rat hepatocytes.
abstract: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was tested for its effects on lipid metabolism of long-term cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. The addition of 1% DMSO to 3T3-hepatocyte cultures was not toxic to cells and in fact treated cultures maintained better their characteristic morphology for up to 14 days of exposure. DMSO treatment increased 2-3 fold the de novo synthesis of total lipids from[14C]acetate. The analysis by thin layer chromatography of cellular and secreted lipids revealed that DMSO increased the levels of cellular triglycerides, phospholipides and free and sterified cholesterol at 7 days of exposure while at 14 days there was also a 2-3-fold increase in medium secreted lipids. Additionally, DMSO increased the activity of glycerol-phosphate dehydrogenase, a marker enzyme of glycerolipid synthesis, by greater than 50% at either 7 or 14 days of exposure. These results show that 1% DMSO not only is not detrimental to cultured hepatocytes but also enhances lipid synthesis and secretion, both hepatic-differentiated functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Mexico City, DF Mexico.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: De La Vega
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Figueroa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide