EFFECT OF TERTIARY BUTYLHYDROPEROXIDE-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS ON GLUTATHIONE CONTENT AND THIOBARBITURIC ACID REACTIVE SUBSTANCES PRODUCTION IN CULTURES AND COCULTURES OF ADULT-RAT HEPATOCYTES

The production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined in primary mo nolayer cultures of adult rat hepatocytes and in their co-cultures wit h rat epithelial cells, both exposed for 90 min to 2 mM tertiary butyl hydroperoxide. Under these stress-induced conditions, TBARS production tended to be less increased in co-cultured cells than in conventional ly cultured hepatocytes. A total depletion of GSH content was measured in conventional cultures from the third culture day, whereas in cocul tures a decrease in GSH content was observed until the third day of cu lture, followed by a low but constant GSH level that was maintained un til the end of the culture period. Oxidative stress appears to be less pronounced in co-cultures than in conventional cultures; the former c ope better with externally induced oxidative stress than do the latter . Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.