Metabolic rates of 4-hydroxynonenal in tubular and mesangial cells of the kidney

The degradation of the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) in primary cultures of kidney tubular and mesangial cells was determined. Usi ng various initial concentrations of the aldehyde a decline of cellular via bility was found, Mesangial cells were more susceptible to the toxic effect s of HNE. In consumption studies of HNE the decline of the exogenously adde d aldehyde was comparable in both cell types after addition of 10 and 1 mu mol HNE/I. After addition of 100 mu mol/l aldehyde a drastically lower HNE degrading capacity was found in mesangial cells as compared to tubular cell s. The loss in the HNE degrading capacity was accompanied by an increased f ormation of HNE-protein aggregates as demonstrated by immunoblots, Therefor e, we concluded that the low ability of mesangial cells to degrade HNE may be a factor of the toxicity of free radicals on the kidney.