Cat liver cystathionase.

Cat liver cystathionase was about 300-fold purified in comparison with the supernatant of the homogenate, and the characteristics were compared with those of rat. Optimum pHs for several substrates were found to be somewhat lower, and isoelectric point remarkably lower, in cat than in rat. Molecular weight of the cat liver cystathionase was about 158,000.     

Solitary liver nodules.

There has been confusion in the literature over the nomenclature of solitary liver nodules. Several such lesions have recently been reported in patients taking oral contraceptives. Similarities exist between these cases that suggest they may be examples of focal nodular hyperplasia. Here three further cases are presented. The criteria for making the diagnosis and its importance are discussed.     

Lindane-induced liver oxidative stress.

The development of an oxidative stress condition in the liver by lindane intoxication is discussed as a possible hepatotoxic mechanism of the insecticide. Lindane is metabolized by liver microsomal enzymes to a variety of metabolites, which are susceptible of conjugation for proper elimination. In addition, the interaction of lindane with the liver tissue results in the induction of the microsomal cytochrome P-450 system, together with enhanced rates of superoxide radical generation and a significant increase in indicators of lipid peroxidation. Concomitantly, lindane intoxication induces a derangement of some antioxidant mechanisms of the liver cell, including decreased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and alterations in reduced glutathione content leading to depressed GSH/GSSG ratios. The time course study of the changes in hepatic lipid peroxidation and antioxidant parameters are closely interrelated and coincide with the onset and progression of morphological lesions.     

Fibrinolysis and liver regeneration.

The plasmin and plasminogen activator proteases of the plasma fibrinolytic system were investigated as potential blood-borne mediators of the proliferative activation of hepatocytes by partial hepatectomy. Partial (68%) liver resection, as well as proliferatively activating the remaining hepatocytes, rapidly (by 30 minutes) doubled the level (or activity) of circulating plasminogen activator but later (2 hours) greatly depressed this level. This later depression of the activity of circulating plasminogen activator lasted for eight to ten hours before returning to the normal level two to four hours before the hepatocytes in the liver remnant began to synthesize DNA. This sequence of changes in the fibrinolytic potential was not abolished by prior thyroparathyroidectomy which is known to inhibit the initiation of hepatocyte DNA synthesis and to prevent the secretion of the calcium homeostatic hormones, another early systemic consequence of partial liver resection. Since the early rise in plasminogen activator activity did not cause the appearance of active (free) circulating plasmin, and since the injection of large doses of the fibrinolytic and protease inhibitors, EACA and Trasylol®, during this early, post-operative period of hyperfibrinolytic potential did not prevent hepatocytes from initiating DNA synthesis, it is unlikely that either plasmin or its activator protease are blood-borne initiators of hepatocyte proliferative development.     

Conformational changes in rat liver chromatin after liver regeneration.

N-Pyrenemaleimide, a fluorescent probe that specifically labels histone H3 of rat liver chromatin in situ, was used to monitor the accessibility of histone H3 in chromatin isolated from rat liver at different times during degeneration. At times of maximum DNA synthesis (18--24 h after hepatectomy), the accessibility of the probe was found to be markedly (40--50%) increased. This increase is abolished, however, by treatment of the chromatin fibres with high salt (2 M-NaCl) or detergent. Tryptophan fluorescence was also enhanced at points of maximum DNA synthesis, suggesting that some non-histone tryptophan-containing protein was being synthesized. The polarization of the labelled histone H3 is not markedly altered, suggesting that fibre aggregation or dissociation does not occur. Mononucleosomes extracted from sham-operated and hepatectomized animals did not exhibit any difference in binding to the probe. Also, analysis of the chromatin protein by electrophoresis on detergent- and acid/urea/ Triton-X-100-containing polyacrylamide gels showed no detectable difference in histone H3 : 1, H3 : 2 or H3 : 3 subclasses.     

Human liver cathepsin L.

Cathepsin L was purified to apparent homogeneity from human liver obtained post mortem. It was necessary to treat the homogenate at pH 4.2 and 37 degrees C to release active enzyme. The purification procedure involved ion-exchange chromatography on carboxymethyl-Sephadex and the Mono S column of a Pharmacia fast-protein-liquid-chromatography system. The enzyme was found to consist of two polypeptide chains of Mr 25 000 and 5000. The larger chain was shown to contain the active-site cysteine residue. Human cathepsin L proved to be similar to the rat and rabbit enzymes in regard to kinetic constants for the substrate benzyloxycarbonylphenylalanylarginine 7-(4-methyl)coumarylamide and rates of inactivation by the active-site-directed reagents benzyloxycarbonylphenylalanylphenylalanyldiazomethane and benzyloxycarbonylphenylalanylalanyldiazomethane. Thus clear characteristics of cathepsin L are now emerging, and these should simplify the identification of the enzyme in other tissues and species.     

Human liver acid phosphatases.

Human liver contains three chromatographically distinct forms of non-specific acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2). Acid phosphatases I, II and III have molecular weights of greater than 200 000, of 107 000, and of 13 400, respectively. Following partial purification, isoenzyme II was obtained as a single activity band, as assessed by activity staining with p-nitrophenyl phosphate and alpha-naphthyl phosphate on polyacrylamide gels run at several pH values. With 50mM p-nitrophenyl phosphate as a substrate, enzymes II and III exhibit plateaus of activity over the pH range 3 - 5 and 3.5 - 6, respectively.Acid phosphatase II is not significantly inhibited by 0.5% formaldehyde. The activity of human liver acid phosphatase II and of human prostatic acid phosphatase towards several substrates is compared. The liver enzyme, is marked contrast to the prostatic enzyme, does not hydrolyze O-phosphoryl choline.