Skip Navigation



ToxSci Advance Access published online on April 28, 2004

Toxicological Sciences, doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfh151
Toxicological Sciences © Society of Toxicology 2004; all rights reserved
This Article
Right arrow Advance Access manuscript (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
80/2/343    most recent
kfh151v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bajt, M. L.
Right arrow Articles by Jaeschke, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bajt, M. L.
Right arrow Articles by Jaeschke, H.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Received January 3, 2004
Accepted April 7, 2004

Systems Evaluation

Acetaminophen-Induced Oxidant Stress and Cell Injury in Cultured Mouse Hepatocytes: Protection by N-Acetyl Cysteine

Mary Lynn Bajt 1, Tamara R. Knight 2, John J. Lemasters 3, Hartmut Jaeschke 1*

1 Liver Research Institute, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724
2 Liver Research Institute, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
3 Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jaeschke{at}email.arizona.edu.


   Abstract

The increase in cellular and mitochondrial glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels and the GSSG-to-GSH-ratio after acetaminophen (AAP) overdose suggest the involvement of an oxidant stress in the pathophysiology. However, the initial severe depletion of hepatocellular glutathione makes the quantitative assessment of the oxidant stress difficult. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that oxidant stress precedes the onset of cell injury in a cell culture model using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence as a marker for intracellular oxidant stress. Cultured primary murine hepatocytes were exposed to 5 mM AAP. DCF fluorescence, XTT reduction, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and trypan blue uptake were determined from 0-12h. After glutathione depletion at 3h, DCF fluorescence increased by 16-fold and was maintained at that level up to 12h. At 1.5h after AAP, a significant decrease of the cellular XTT reduction capacity was observed, which continued to decline until 9h. Cell necrosis (LDH release, trypan blue uptake) was detectable in 20% of cells at 6h with a significant further increase at later time points. Pretreatment with 20 mM N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 1h before AAP enhanced cellular glutathione content, prevented or attenuated the AAP-induced decrease of GSH levels and XTT reduction capacity, respectively, and reduced the loss of cell viability. Additionally, treatment with NAC 2h after AAP exposure prevented further deterioration of XTT reduction at 3h and later, and attenuated cell necrosis. Thus, AAP-induced oxidant stress precedes cell necrosis and, in cultured hepatocytes, the oxidant stress is involved in the propagation of cell injury.

Key Words: acetaminophen, hepatotoxicity, oxidant stress, N-acteylcysteine, cultured hepatocytes .


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J. Biol. Chem.Home page
K. N. Nejak-Bowen, G. Zeng, X. Tan, B. Cieply, and S. P. Monga
{beta}-Catenin Regulates Vitamin C Biosynthesis and Cell Survival in Murine Liver
J. Biol. Chem., October 9, 2009; 284(41): 28115 - 28127.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.Home page
M. L. Bajt, A. Farhood, J. J. Lemasters, and H. Jaeschke
Mitochondrial Bax Translocation Accelerates DNA Fragmentation and Cell Necrosis in a Murine Model of Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., January 1, 2008; 324(1): 8 - 14.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Toxicol PatholHome page
S. K. Ramaiah and H. Jaeschke
Role of Neutrophils in the Pathogenesis of Acute Inflammatory Liver Injury
Toxicol Pathol, October 1, 2007; 35(6): 757 - 766.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Toxicol SciHome page
M. L. Bajt, C. Cover, J. J. Lemasters, and H. Jaeschke
Nuclear Translocation of Endonuclease G and Apoptosis-Inducing Factor during Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Cell Injury
Toxicol. Sci., November 1, 2006; 94(1): 217 - 225.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Exp. Biol. Med.Home page
J.-H. Zhu and X. G. Lei
Double Null of Selenium-Glutathione Peroxidase-1 and Copper, Zinc-Superoxide Dismutase Enhances Resistance of Mouse Primary Hepatocytes to Acetaminophen Toxicity.
Experimental Biology and Medicine, May 1, 2006; 231(5): 545 - 552.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Toxicol SciHome page
H. Jaeschke and M. L. Bajt
Intracellular Signaling Mechanisms of Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Cell Death
Toxicol. Sci., January 1, 2006; 89(1): 31 - 41.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.Home page
C. Cover, A. Mansouri, T. R. Knight, M. L. Bajt, J. J. Lemasters, D. Pessayre, and H. Jaeschke
Peroxynitrite-Induced Mitochondrial and Endonuclease-Mediated Nuclear DNA Damage in Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., November 1, 2005; 315(2): 879 - 887.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.Home page
H. Jaeschke
Comments on "Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Mediates Acetaminophen-Induced Apoptosis in Human Hepatoma Cells"
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., September 1, 2005; 314(3): 1401 - 1402.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Toxicol SciHome page
J. Yan and B. F. Hales
Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) DNA Binding Activity Is Induced by Hydroxyurea in Organogenesis Stage Mouse Embryos
Toxicol. Sci., June 1, 2005; 85(2): 1013 - 1023.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.