Leukotriene D4 activates a chloride conductance in hepatocytes from lipopolysaccharide-treated rats

Abstract

Endotoxin (LPS) can cause hepatocellular injury under several circumstances, and leukotrienes have been implicated as a contributing factor. Since ion channel activation has been associated with cytotoxicity, the aim of this study was to determine the circumstances under which LPS and/or leukotrienes activate ionic conductances in hepatocytes. LPS treatment of rats increased Cl- conductance in hepatocytes from 232±42 to 1236±134 pS/pF. Voltage dependence and inhibitor specificity of this conductance were similar to that of a swelling-activated Cl- conductance, and internal dialysis with nucleoside analogues suggested control by an inhibitory G protein. The lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid, the specific leukotriene D4 (LTD4) receptor antagonist MK-571, and the 5-lipoxygenase activating protein inhibitor MK-886 all significantly inhibited the conductance. Intracellular dialysis with LTD4 (1.5 μM) elevated intracellular Ca2+ from 143±6.5 to 388±114 nM within 6 min and stimulated an outwardly rectifying conductance from 642±159 to 1669±224 pS/pF (n = 9, P < 0.001). In hepatocytes prepared from untreated rats, this concentration of intracellular LTD4 neither raised intracellular Ca2+ nor activated the conductance. The LTD4 response could be induced in normal hepatocytes by culture with either conditioned medium from LPS-treated macrophages or purified TNF-α. In conclusion, intracellular LTD4 activates a chloride conductance in hepatocytes isolated from rats treated with LPS or primed in vitro with TNF-α. Changes in the hepatocellular accumulation of leukotrienes therefore mediate channel activation and may contribute to liver injury during sepsis and other inflammatory conditions.