Course of the prolyl hydroxylase activity and the quantity of collagen amino acids in the liver during a 2-year experimental chronic iron overload in baboons
Farjanel, J.; Périer, C.; Brissot, P.; Campion, J.P.; Simon, M.; Ferrand, B.; Bourel, M.
Gastroenterologie Clinique et Biologique 7(1): 75-80
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0399-8320 PMID: 6301921 Document Number: 217034
Hepatic collagen metabolism, as judged by hepatic 4-prolyl hydroxylase (pH) activity and collagen amino acid content, was studied over a 2 yr period in 3 young baboons during experimental chronic and massive Fe overloading and compared with the same metabolism in 2 control baboons. Marked differences in H activities between the baboons during the course of the study were observed. Despite individual differences, liver pH appeared to be regulated identically for each animal; similar hepatic collagen amino acid contents with that of the human liver were seen in non-Fe overloaded animals; and a slight histologically defined fibrosis associated with only a slight, transitory pH activity increase was found in 1 of the 2 Fe-polymaltose treated baboons. This pattern differed from those previously described in experimental acute liver fibrosis. Despite the considerable liver Fe excess, this relatively short-time experiment (2 yr) did not allow the confirmation that the slight 4-Hyp/Pro value increase observed for the 2 other treated baboons was correlated with a nascent fibrotic process.