Influence of chronic alcoholic intoxication and lighting regime on karyometric and ploidometric parameters of hepatocytes of rats

The features of the diurnal dynamics of the area of rat hepatocyte nuclei and their ploidy were studied under conditions of a standart (fixed) light regime and constant illumination, as well as under chronic exposure to alcohol in the mentioned light regimes. It has been shown that exposure to alcohol and exposure to constant illumination separately lead to a change in the amplitude-phase characteristics of the circadian rhythm of the nucleus area, while the combined effect of these factors leads to a complete destruction of the rhythm, which indicates a violation of adaptation processes. An increase in the average ploidy of hepatocyte nuclei in chronic alcohol intoxication is also shown, while in animals kept under constant illumination without drinking alcohol, the values of this parameter decrease, which indicates a successful course of the adaptation process. The conducted research indicates that the results of karyometric and ploidometric analysis characterize the degree of influence of alcohol intoxication and changes in the light regime on the liver of rats, reflecting the rate of efficiency of adaptation to these factors.

Prenatal Glucocorticoid Administration Accelerates the Maturation of Fetal Rat Hepatocyte

Prenatal glucocorticoid (GC) is clinically administered to pregnant women who are at risk of preterm birth for maturation of cardiopulmonary function. Preterm and low-birth-weight infants often experience liver dysfunction after birth because the liver is immature. However, the effects of prenatal GC administration on the liver remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the effects of prenatal GC administration on the maturation of liver hepatocytes in preterm rats.Dexamethasone (DEX) was administered to pregnant Wistar rats on gestational days 17 and 19 before cesarean section. Real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to determine the mRNA levels of albumin, HNF4α, HGF, Thy-1, cyclin B, and CDK1 in the liver samples. Immunohistochemical staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to examine protein production.The hepatocytes enlarged because of growth and prenatal DEX administration. Albumin, HNF4α, and HGF levels increased secondary to growth and prenatal DEX administration. The levels of the cell cycle markers cyclin B and CDK1 gradually decreased during growth and with DEX administration.The results suggest that prenatal GC administration leads to hepatocyte maturation via expression of HNF4α and HGF in premature fetuses.

Metabolomic Profile of Primary Turkey and Rat Hepatocytes and Two Cell Lines after Chloramphenicol Exposure

The purpose of this study was to assess the formation of chloramphenicol metabolites in primary turkey and rat hepatocyte cultures and human hepatoma (HepG2) cells and nonhepatic, Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of the drug was assessed through three biochemical endpoints: mitochondrial and lysosomal activity and cellular membrane integrity after 24 and 48 h exposure. The two metabolites of the drug, chloramphenicol glucuronide and nitroso-chloramphenicol, were detected to the greatest extent in both primary hepatocyte cultures by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Toxic nitroso-chloramphenicol was the main metabolite in the primary turkey hepatocyte cultures, but it was not in the primary rat hepatocyte cultures. The most affected endpoint in turkey and rat hepatocyte cultures was the disintegration of the cellular membrane, but in the cell lines, mitochondrial and lysosomal activities underwent the greatest change. The primary hepatocyte cultures represent valuable tools with which to study the species differences in the biotransformation and toxicity of drugs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of differences in chloramphenicol metabolism in primary turkey and rat hepatocyte cultures.