Nucleic acid content of hepatic cells during experimental hepatomegalies induced by hypolipidemic drugs in rats
David, A.; Rozé, C.; Chariot, J.; Hollande, E.
Gastroenterologie Clinique et Biologique 3(11): 821-829
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0399-8320 PMID: 527792 Document Number: 149297
To study the modifications of hepatic DNA, following treatments with hypolipidemic drugs that induce hepatomegalic responses in rats (clofibrate, tiadenol, procetofene), tissue content of nucleic acids was measured by a chemical method, while nuclear DNA was studied by cytophotometry on suspensions of hepatic nuclei obtained with a Potter homogeneizer. Under experimental conditions in which circulating total lipids were decreased, and the liver weight increased without signs of cytolysis, DNA concentration in the liver was decreased by all 3 hypolipemics. Total DNa content was increased by procetofene and tiadenol. The population of hepatic nuclei was always mainly bimodal, centered on 2n and 4n. Clofibrate shifted the distribution towards the 2n class; procetofene increased the number of hypertetraploid nuclei; tiadenol did not significantly change the distribution. Calculating variations of the mean number of nuclei per liver and of the mean cell mass per nucleus showed that in all cases the hepatic response to hypolipemics consisted in an increase of both the number of nuclei and the mean cell mass per nucleus. The intensity varied with the drug. The increase in nuclear number was not significantly different between drugs. The hypertrophic response was the largest with procetofene, the smallest with clofibrate.