TISSUE LIPID-PEROXIDATION MAY BE TRIGGERED BY INCREASED FORMATION OF BILIRUBIN IN-VIVO

Following the administration of phenylhydrazine, cadmium chloride and ethanol to rats there was a marked increase in the concentration of li ver lipid peroxides and a sharp decline in GSH levels. The oxidative s tress generated by the action of these toxic compounds led to the indu ction of liver heme oxygenase, which exhibited a 3-fold increase in ac tivity over the control value. Patients with various forms of liver di sorders showed increased levels of plasma lipid peroxides as well as h yperbilirubinemia. In view of the known ability of bilirubin to cause lipid peroxidation in illuminated erythrocyte membranes, the results o f the present paper suggest that in severely impaired liver, as in som e liver diseases, lipid peroxides may be also produced by a mechanism involving heme oxygenase.