MODERATE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF 6-MFA, A MICROBIAL METABOLITE OBTAINED FROM ASPERGILLUS-OCHRACEUS ON IMMUNOLOGICAL LIVER-INJURY IN MICE

Hepatoprotective effect of 6-MFA, obtained from fungus Aspergillus och raceus ATCC 28706, was evaluated by employing three different immunolo gical liver injury mice models. The first liver injury model was induc ed by injecting anti-basic liver protein (BLP) antibody into mice prev iously immunised with rabbit IgG (RGG). The other models were simulate d by injecting antiliver specific protein (LSP) antibody or by injecti ng bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into mice pretreated with Coryne bacterium parvum (C. parvum). 6-MFA treatment inhibited the increased transaminases (GOT and GPT) activities and showed a tendency to inhibi t the histopathological changes of the liver in all the models studied . Furthermore, 6-MFA treatment inhibited deoxycholic acid induced tran saminase release from cultured rat hepatocytes in vitro, but failed to affect the formation of hemolytic plaque forming cells in immunised m ice spleens and hemolytic activity of guinea pig complement in immunoh emolytic reaction. Our findings, therefore, suggested that the moderat e hepatoprotective effect of 6-MFA could be related to it's protective effect on hepatocyte plasma membrane rather than the direct inhibitor y effects on the antibody formation and/or complement activity. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.