title: Lipid peroxidation in hepatocyte cell cultures: modulation by free radical scavengers and iron.
abstract: Rat hepatocytes were isolated and then maintained in serum-free cell culture medium for 24 h. The amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulated in the medium was assayed and used as a measure of lipid peroxidation. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and urea were measured in the medium and used as indicators of hepatocellular viability and function. The effects of iron; desferrioxamine mesylate (Desferal), an iron chelator; and mannitol, a hydroxyl free radical scavenger were investigated. The addition of iron, Fe2 resulted in a three-fold increase in the levels of MDA. Desferal inhibited the production of MDA and blocked the effect of Fe2+. Neither iron nor Desferal had any effect on LDH or urea levels. Mannitol had no effect on MDA or urea production, but caused a 4 to 8-fold increase in the LDH levels in the medium. The results show that iron is involved in the mechanism of lipid peroxidation in hepatocyte cultures but suggest that as a pathologic event lipid peroxidation is not expressed in terms of viability during the first 24 h of hepatocyte culture.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008353:Mannitol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D008353:Mannitol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D014508:Urea; D007501:Iron; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D003676:Deferoxamine