Gaillard, D; Mitjavila, S; Derache, R
HAPAB The possibility that there may be a relationship between the physiological activity of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and hepatic steatogenesis in rats following the ingestion of sodium selenite, ethanol, isopropanol, carbon tetrachloride, ethionine or DDT was investigated. Female Wistar rats weighing 200 to 220 g were divided into two groups. Ethyl stearate (emulsion) was administered i.v. at 0.75 ml/100 g body weight to members of the first group to partially block the RES. The second group (control) was given water only. After 72 hr, the animals were given the following compounds p.o. after being fasted for 8 hr: water, 1 ml/100 g body weight (control); paraffin oil, 1 ml/100 g (control); sodium selenite, 1.752 mg/100 g equal to 0.8 mg selenium/100 g; ethanol, 0.6 g/100 g; isopropanol, 0.4 g/100 g; carbon tetrachloride, 0.25 ml/100 g; ethionine, 75 mg/100 g; or DDT, 30 mg/100 g. Carbon tetrachloride, ethionine and DDT were administered in paraffin oil while sodium selenite, ethanol and isopropanol were administered as aqueous solutions. The treated animals were given free access to water only and after 16 hr the control of the blockage of the RES was determined by measuring the granulopexic function of the liver by evaluating the clearance of colloidal carbon particles following the i.v. injection of carbon (Gaillard et al., 1966)t The test animals were sacrificed by decapitation and their blood was collected on heparin and centrifuged. The liver was excised, weighed and homogenized in an Ultra-Turrax apparatus in an icy aqueous sodium chloride solution at a proportion of 1g/9 ml solution (9 g sodium chloride/1 water). Hepatic and serum fatty acids were determined by the Albrink method (1959). Liver and serum triglycerides were determined according to the methods of Butler et al. (1961) and Van Handel and Zilversmit (1957), respectively. Total hepatic nitrogen was determined by the method of Johnson (1941). Treatment with sodium selenite, ethanol, isopropanol, carbon tetrachloride, ethionine or DDT produced significant elevations in hepatic triglycerides and fatty acids in animals that were not given ethyl stearate. The increase in hepatic triglycerides and fatty acids observed in rats in which the RES was partially blocked by ethyl stearate was considerably lower. The described treatments had little or no effect on the levels of serum triglycerides and fatty acids. The results of this study indicate that the physiological function of the RES must be intact if hepatic steatogenesis is to occur following the ingestion of toxicants. 1970
