EFFECT OF LAENNEC ON CCl₄-TREATED CULTURED RAT HEPATOCYTES

Abstract

Laennec (LAE), which contains many components, is the hydrolyte of the human placenta. LAE effects a decrease of transaminase activity for liver disease. In the present study, the effect of LAE in the enzyme leakage (GOT, GPT, LDH, OCT) from hepatocytes and the incorporation of¹⁴C-leucine into intra-and extra-cellular protein, which was analysed using freshly isolated and primary cultured hepatocytes which were treated with CCl₄. The enzyme leakage from freshly isolated hepatocytes significantly decreased by incubation in LAE. However, by treatment of LAE with CCl₄, the enzyme leakage from freshly isolated hepatocytes increased significantly compared to those incubated only in CCl₄. On the other hand, the enzyme leakage from primary cultured hepatocytes significantly decreased by incubation in LAE and LAE with CCl₄. The incorporation of¹⁴C-leucine into intracellular protein decreased by treatment of LAE and CCl₄. The present study shows a difference between freshly isolated and cultured hepatocytes by incubation in LAE. It suggests that LAE has a membrane stabilizing action.