Inositol lipid metabolism in vasopressin stimulated hepatocytes from rats infused with tumor necrosis factor

We studied the effect of i.v. infusion of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha (rHuTNF alpha, Cetus, 15 micrograms/100 g bw over 3 h) on vasopressin (VP)-stimulated 32P-inositol lipid turnover and the release of 3H-inositol phosphates in isolated rat hepatocytes. The early VP-induced decrease (within 30 s) in 32P-phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and 32P-phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate labeling was significantly reduced (-40%) and at the same time the uptake of 32P into phosphatidic acid was 50% lower than in saline-infused (matched control) rats. Within 5 min of VP-stimulation, lower 32P phosphatidylinositol (-40%) and higher 32P-phosphatidic acid (+30%) labeling were observed in rHuTNF alpha-infused rats. Infusion of rHuTNF alpha also affected the VP-induced release of 3H-inositol phosphates. The accumulation of 3H-inositol-labeled water soluble products was decreased by 25% and 17% at 30 s and 10 min, respectively. These data show that rHuTNF alpha mimics early perturbations induced by Escherichia coli endotoxin infusion in VP-stimulated inositol lipid metabolism in rat hepatocytes.