The first observation of O₂⁻ generation at real time in vivo from non‐Kupffer sinusoidal cells in perfused rat liver during acute ethanol intoxication

Abstract

Infusion of ethanol or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) into the perfused rat liver immediately produces O2- which was detected directly by infusion of a Cypridina luciferin analogue, MCLA as a chemiluminescence reagent. The MCLA photon emission was inhibitable by SOD. Generation of O2- in the liver was further verified by nitroblue tetrazolium, formazan precipitate formation. Ethanol-induced O2- generation was unaffected by gadolinium chloride (GdCl3), an inhibitor of kupffer cells, while PMA induced O2- generation was completely abolished by GdCl3. Since PMA is a known stimulator of phagocytic cells including Kupffer cells, the results indicate, for the first time that ethanol stimulates a non-Kupffer cell population, probably liver sinusoid endothelial cell to produce O2-.