MECHANISM OF IMMUNOLOGICAL CELL INJURY IN ISOLATED RAT HEPATOCYTES WITH ANTI-RAT LIVER PLASMA-MEMBRANE ANTISERUM TREATMENT

We examined the changes of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity and of red uced glutathione (GSH), Ca2+, and lipid peroxide (LPO) contents in iso lated rat hepatocytes treated with anti-liver cell plasma membrane ant iserum (ALPMA) following the development of immunological cell injury. Increases in PLA2 activity and Ca2+ content and a decrease in GSH con tent in the ALMA-treated hepatocytes occurred with an increase in rele ase of alanine and asparatate transaminases from the cells. After thes e changes occurred, LPO level increased in the ALPMA-treated hepatocyt es. These results suggest that in ALPMA-treated rat hepatocytes, deple tion of intracellular GSH, which has a function of cell membrane stabi lization, followed by increases in Ca2+ level and PLA2 activity primar ily contributes to immunological cell injury and that stimulation of i ntracellular LPO production consequent of increased PLA2 activity is s econdarily contributory to the cell injury.