Hepatic glutathione concentrations and the release of pyrrolic metabolites of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid, monocrotaline, from the isolated perfused liver

Abstract

We have examined the relationship between the metabolism of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid, monocrotaline, and glutathione concentration in the isolated, perfused rat liver. On perfusion of monocrotaline (300 μM) through the isolated liver, high concentrations (1.1 mM) of its metabolite glutathionyldehydroretronecine are released into bile, while much lower amounts (4.86μM; 0.05 μmol/g liver) accumulate in the perfusate over a 1 hr perfusion period. Metabolite concentration in both the bile and perfusate increase when the level of monocrotaline perfused is increased to 900 μM. Metabolite release is also elevated in livers pretreated with phenobarbital. Monocrotaline perfusion lowered glutathione concentrations in the liver from 30 min onwards. Livers from animals treated with buthionine sulfoximine or chloroethanol showed much lower glutathione levels after 60 min perfusion. Livers from chloroethanol-treated (but not buthionine sulfoximine-treated) animals showed significantly lower release of pyrroles into the bile on perfusion with monocrotaline, but there is no effect on the rate of build-up of pyrrolic metabolites in the perfusate. We conclude that hepatic glutathione concentrations and the release of pyrrolic metabolites of monocrotaline mutually interact. Exposure of the liver to monocrotaline reduces glutathione concentrations, while marked depletion of liver glutathione concentration leads to a decrease in the release of monocrotaline metabolites.