title: Ritonavir-induced hepatotoxicity and ultrastructural changes of hepatocytes.
abstract: To investigate the effect of ritonavir on hepatocyte proliferation, we detected the change of cleaved caspase-3 expression level in the hepatocytes. Furthermore, the morphological and ultrastructural changes of hepatocytes derived from RTV-treated mice have been observed. The results showed that ritonavir can evidently inhibit hepatocyte proliferation and increase cleaved caspase-3 expression level. Under the electron microscope, chromatin margination, mitochondrial cristae disappearance, karyopyknosis and cytoplasmic vacuolization can be observed in the hepatocytes of mice treated with ritonavir. In conclusion, the mechanism of ritonavir's hepatotoxicity is that it induces apoptosis of hepatocytes via the caspase-cascade system.
authors: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Medicine, Wuhan University , Wuhan, Hubei , PR China and.
authors: Chang-Chun
authors: CC
authors: Kuang
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Peng-Chao
authors: PC
authors: Hu
authors: Fang-Fang
authors: FF
authors: Gao
authors: Lang
authors: L
authors: Bu
authors: Xian-Mei
authors: XM
authors: Wen
authors: Qing-Ming
authors: QM
authors: Xiang
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Song
authors: Qun
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Wei
authors: Ke
authors: K
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D019438:Ritonavir / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D053148:Caspase 3; D019438:Ritonavir
keywords: Apoptosis; hepatotoxicity; ritonavir; ultrastructure