The role of a purinergic P2z receptor in calcium‐dependent cell killing of isolated rat hepatocytes by extracellular adenosine triphosphate

J P Zoetewij, B van de Water, H J de Bont, J F Nagelkerke – 1 April 1996 – Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATPo) (0.4 mmol/L), a P2‐purinergic receptor agonist, induces cytolysis in several cell types including isolated rat hepatocytes. In this study, we investigated the P2‐receptor involved in ATPo‐induced, Ca2+‐dependent cytotoxicity in hepatocytes. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with oxidized ATP, a P2z‐receptor antagonist, or complexation of ATP4− (the agonist for the P2z‐receptor) with an excess of Mg2+, prevented ATPo‐induced cell death.

Synthesis of insulinlike growth factor binding proteins and of the acid‐labile subunit in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, of Kupffer cells, and in cocultures: Regulation by insulin, insulinlike growth factor, and growth hormone

J Scharf, G Ramadori, T Braulke, H Hartmann – 1 April 1996 – The adult liver is the main source of circulating insulinlike growth factors (IGFs) and their serum binding proteins (IGFBPs) including the acid‐labile subunit (ALS), a component of the ternary binding protein complex. Within the liver, the biosynthesis of individual proteins has been attributed to different cell populations, e.g., that of ALS to hepatocytes and that of IGFBP‐3 to nonparenchymal cells.

n‐Butyrate induces plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 messenger RNA in cultured Hep G2 cells

T J Smith, J J Piscatelli, V Andersen, H Wang, P Lance – 1 April 1996 – n‐Butyrate, a short‐chain aliphatic carboxylic acid with pleiotropic actions, is present at high concentrations in the portal circulation and thus may play an important role in the regulation of specific gene expression in the mammalian liver. We report here that n‐butyrate can increase substantially the level of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI‐1) messenger RNA (mRNA) in Hep G2 cells, up to eightfold above control cultures.

Transforming growth factor β1‐induced cell death in preneoplastic foci of rat liver and sensitization by the antiestrogen tamoxifen

L Mullauer, B Grasl‐Kraupp, W Bursch, R Schulte‐Hermann – 1 April 1996 – Previous studies have shown 5‐ to 10‐fold higher rates of apoptosis in prestages of liver cancer (putative preneoplastic cell foci [PPF]) than in unaltered liver; fasting or withdrawal of tumor promoters enhanced apoptosis even further. We studied whether transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1), an inducer of apoptosis in normal liver, might be involved in induction of apoptosis in PPF.

Interleukin 1 β markedly stimulates nitric oxide formation in the absence of other cytokines or lipopolysaccharide in primary cultured rat hepatocytes but not in Kupffer cells

H Kitade, K Sakitani, K Inoue, Y Masu, N Kawada, Y Hiramatsu, Y Kamiyama, T Okumura, S Ito – 1 April 1996 – To investigate whether a single inflammatory cytokine could stimulate nitric oxide formation in the absence of other cytokines or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), NO was measured by the redox chemiluminescence method in primary cultured rat hepatocytes and in rat Kupffer cells.

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