Description
Clin Sci (Lond). 2002 Nov;103(5):475-85 The accumulation of toxic bile salts within the hepatocyte plays a key role in organ injury during
liver disease. Deoxycholate (DC) and glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC) induce apoptosis in vitro
and in vivo, perhaps through direct perturbation of mitochondrial membrane structure and
function. In contrast, ursodeoxycholate (UDC) and its taurine-conjugated form (TUDC) appear
to be protective. We show here that hydrophobic bile salts induced apoptosis in cultured rat
hepatocytes, without modulating the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax protein, and caused
cytochrome c release in isolated mitochondria. Co-incubation with UDC and TUDC prevented
cell death and efflux of mitochondrial factors. Using spin-labelling techniques and EPR
spectroscopy analysis of isolated rat liver mitochondria, we found signi®cant structural changes
at the membrane±water surface in mitochondria exposed to hydrophobic bile salts, including
modi®ed lipid polarity and ¯uidity, altered protein order and increased oxidative injury. UDC,
TUDC and cyclosporin A almost completely abrogated DC- and GCDC-induced membrane
perturbations. We conclude that the toxicity of hydrophobic bile salts to hepatocytes is
mediated by cytochrome c release, through a mechanism associated with marked direct effects
on mitochondrial membrane lipid polarity and ¯uidity, protein order and redox status, without
modulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression. UDC and TUDC can directly suppress disruption
of mitochondrial membrane structure, which may represent an important mechanism of
hepatoprotection by these bile salts.