title: Sinusoidal endothelial cell injury by superoxide anion and iron in the Propionibacterium acnes-pretreated and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat liver.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We attempted to measure the generation of superoxide anion, examine its site of release and determine its pathological role in Propionibacterium acnes-lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in the rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  The P. acnes-pretreated (16 mg/kg i.v.) rat liver was perfused with buffer containing lipopolysaccharide (2.5 microg/ml). Chemiluminescence enhanced with Cypridina luciferin analog, MCLA, and reduction of nitro blue tetrazolium were used for detecting superoxide anion. Leakage of enzymes and release of cytokines into the perfusate, and histological specimens were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Superoxide dismutase-inhibitable chemiluminescence peaked at 30 min of lipopolysaccharide infusion and blue formazan precipitate was histochemically deposited mainly on hepatic macrophages. Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) activity in the perfusate, as a marker of sinusoidal endothelial cell injury, reached its maximum at 50 min and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, as a marker of hepatocyte injury, reached a plateau at 90 min. Simultaneous treatment with superoxide dismutase and deferoxamine mesylate significantly suppressed the leakage of PNP and AST. Release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and growth-related oncogene/cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 lagged behind PNP leakage. Light microscopy showed destruction of the sinusoids followed by hepatocyte necrosis. Electron microscopy revealed adherence of hepatic macrophages to sinusoidal endothelial cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that superoxide anion released from hepatic macrophages may induce sinusoidal endothelial cell injury via interaction with iron in the P. acnes-lipopolysaccharide-treated liver.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Surgery, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan. tahasega@akagi.sb.gunma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiraishi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D010477:Perfusion; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000276:immunology; D011683:Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013481:Superoxides; D007501:Iron; D011683:Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase; D003676:Deferoxamine