EFFECT OF HIGH-CONCENTRATIONS OF BILE-ACIDS ON CULTURED-HEPATOCYTES

High concentrations of bile acids have been reported as injurious to h epatocytes, the report the influence of various combinations of bi:le acids on the liver-specific function of cultured rat hepatocytes. Usin g 4 bile acids (glycocholate [GC], taurocholate [TC], glycohenodeoxych olate [GCDC], and taurochenodeoxycholate [TCDC]), we obtained 6 bile-a cid mixtures, each; containing equal amounts of 2 bile acids (total bi le acids [TBA], 2 mM). Changes in gluconeogenesis, ureagenesis, DNA co ntents, medium alanine aminotransferase, and morphologies were compare d among the paired bile acid compositions by measuring the C/CDC ratio ([GC + TC]/[GCDC + TCDC]) of each. In terms of their relative impairm ents of ureagenesis from greatest to least, the acids were GCDC, TCDC, and GC, which was almost the same as TC. When the C/CDC ratio was 0, the values of all parameters measured deteriorated. When the C/CDC rat io was I in the presence of 1 mM GCDC, only the rate of ureagenesis wa s diminished. When the C/CDC ratio was infinite, no hepa to cellular i njury was observed. GCDC and TCDC, together or separately, showed sign ificant hepatocellular injury when the TEA concentration was 2 mM.