Effects of ventromedial and lateral hypothalamic stimulation on chemically-induced liver injury in rats

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Life Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(88)90021-5· OSTI ID:5284506

Iwai, M; Shimazu, T

The effects of hypothalamic stimulation on experimental liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCL/sub 4/) or dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) were studied in rats, by measuring plasma alanine amino-transferase (ALT) activity as an index of acute liver injury. Electrical stimulation of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VHM) in CCl/sub 4/-treated rats caused a marked increase in plasma ALT activity, accompanied by a significant decrease in ALT activity in the liver, although CCl4 treatment alone had no significant effect on plasma ALT activity. A similar effect of VHM stimulation on plasma ALT activity was observed in rats treated with DMN, another hepatotoxic chemical. No such exaggerated effect of VMH stimulation on plasma ALT activity was observed after stimulation of the lateral hypothalamic area (LH). Surgical sympathetic denervation of the liver greatly suppressed the increase in plasma ALT activity after CCl/sub 4/ injection and VMH stimulation. Measurement of regional blood flow indicated that VMH stimulation did not produce a significant change in blood flow to the liver. These results suggest that the VMH is involved in the progress of chemically-induced liver injury through activation of the sympathetic nerve, possibly by affecting liver metabolism more than the blood flow change to the liver.

• Research Organization: Ehime Univ. School of Medicine (Japan)
• OSTI ID: 5284506
• Journal Information: Life Sci.; (United States), Vol. 42:19
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMINOTRANSFERASES
ENZYME ACTIVITY
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
TOXICITY
HYPOTHALAMUS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
LIVER
BLOOD FLOW
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
NITROSAMINES
NERVES
RATS
AMINES
ANIMALS
BODY
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ENZYMES
FUNCTIONS
GLANDS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NITROGEN TRANSFERASES
NITROSO COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RODENTS
TRANSFERASES
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology