The mechanisms that regulate vascular resistance in the liver are an area of active investigation. Previously, we have shown that nitric oxide (NO) modulates hepatic vascular tone in the normal rat liver. In this study, the production of NO is examined in further detail by isolating sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) from the rat liver. Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) was present in SEC based on Western blotting and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Exposure of SEC to flow increased the release of NO. To investigate the relevance of these in vitro findings to the intact liver, we modified an in situ perfusion system to allow for direct measurement of NO release from the hepatic vasculature. NO was released from the hepatic vasculature in a time-dependent manner, and administration of N-monomethyl-L-arginine reduced NO release and increased portal pressure. Immunostaining of intact liver demonstrated eNOS localization to endothelial cells lining the hepatic sinusoids. These findings demonstrate that SEC in vitro and in vivo express eNOS and produce NO basally, and increase their production in response to flow. Additionally, an increase in portal pressure concomitant with the blockade of NO release directly demonstrates that endogenous endothelial-derived NO modulates portal pressure.

Organic solute transporter (OSTalpha-OSTbeta) is a novel heteromeric bile acid and sterol transporter expressed at the basolateral membranes of epithelium in the ileum, kidney, and liver. To determine whether OSTalpha-OSTbeta undergoes farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-dependent adaptive regulation following cholestatic liver injury, mRNA and protein expression levels were analyzed in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and following common bile duct ligation (CBDL) in rats and Fxr null and wild-type mice. Hepatic OSTalpha and OSTbeta mRNA increased 3- and 32-fold, respectively, in patients with PBC compared with controls, whereas expression of Ostalpha and Ostbeta also increased in the liver of rats and mice following CBDL. In contrast, expression of Ostalpha and Ostbeta mRNA was generally lower in Fxr null mice, and CBDL failed to enhance expression of Ostalpha and Ostbeta compared with wild-type mice. HepG2 cells treated for 24 h with chenodeoxycholic acid, a selective FXR ligand, had higher levels of OSTalpha and OSTbeta mRNA and protein. Increases in OST protein were visualized by confocal microscopy at the plasma membrane. These results indicate that expression of Ostalpha and Ostbeta are highly regulated in response to cholestasis and that this response is dependent on the FXR bile acid receptor.

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The effects of secretin on ion transport mechanisms involved in regulation of intracellular pH (pH1) and HCO3 excretion were characterized in bile duct epithelial (BDE) cells isolated from normal rat liver. pHi was measured with 2,7-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxy-fluorescein-acetomethylester (BCECF-AM) using a microfluorimetric method. Basal pHi of BDE was 7.04±0.06 in Hepes and 7.16±0.10 in KRB and was unaffected by secretin (50-200 nM). Recovery rates from an acid load in Hepes or in KRB media (with and without amiloride) were also not altered by secretin, indicating that Na+/H+ exchange and Na /HCO-cotransport were not affected by this hormone. After acute Cl-removal, pH1 rose 0.24±0.08 pHU at a maximal rate of 0.125±0.06 pHU/min (H' flux rates = 6.02±3.27 mM/min) and recovered after Cl-readmission (0.188±0.08 pHU/min; H' flux rates = 11.82±5.34 mM/min). Pretreatment with 1 mM DIDS inhibited the effects of Cl-removal, while valinomycin, which induces cell depolarization, enhanced these effects, probably by stimulating electrogenic HCO3 influx. Secretin significantly increased both the maximal rate of alkalinization after Cl-removal (P < 0.012) and of pH1 recovery after Cl-readmission (P < 0.025), indicating stimulation of Cl-/HCO3 exchange activity. These findings were reproducedwithN',2'-O-Dibutyryladenosine-3'-5'-cyclicmonophosphate (DBcAMP). The Cl-channel blocker 5-nitro-2'-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB, 10 AM) significantly decreased the effects of secretin and DBcAMP on the pH1 changes promoted by acute Cl-removal/readmission. These findings establish that secretin stimulates the activity of the Cl-/HCO3 exchanger in BDE cells, probably by activating Cl-channels via the intracellular messenger cAMP. This in turn depolarizes the cell, stimulating electrogenic Na /HCO3 symport. The cell depolarization induced by C1-channel activation should enhance HCO3 entrance through electrogenic Na+/HCO-symport, which in turn stimulates the Cl-/ HCO3 exchange. These mechanisms could account for secretin stimulated bicarbonate secretion in bile. (J. Clin. Invest. 1993. 92:1314-1325.) Key words: bile duct epithelium. intra-

Mrp4 is a member of the multidrug resistance-associated gene family that is expressed on the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes and undergoes adaptive upregulation in response to cholestatic injury or bile acid feeding. However, the relative importance of Mrp4 in a protective adaptive response to cholestatic injury is not known. To address this issue, common bile duct ligation (CBDL) was performed in wild-type and Mrp4؊/؊ mice and animals followed for 7 days. Histological analysis and serum aminotransferase levels revealed more severe liver injury in the absence of Mrp4 expression. Western analyses revealed that Mrp4, but not Mrp3, was significantly increased after CBDL in wild-type mice. Serum bile acid levels were significantly lower in Mrp4؊/؊ mice than in wild-type CBDL mice, whereas serum bilirubin levels were the same, suggesting that Mrp4 was required to effectively extrude bile acids from the cholestatic liver. Mrp3 and Ost␣-Ost␤ were upregulated in Mrp4؊/؊ mice but were unable to compensate for the loss of Mrp4. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis on liver extracts revealed that taurine tetrahydroxy bile acid/beta-muricholic acid ratios were increased twofold in Mrp4؊/؊ mice. In conclusion, hepatic Mrp4 plays a unique and essential protective role in the adaptive response to obstructive cholestatic liver injury. ( M ultidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (MRP4) (ABCC4) is an ATP-dependent organic anion transporter with broad substrate specificity. [1][2][3] It is a member of the ABC transporter superfamily 4 and is expressed in a variety of epithelia, including the basolateral and apical plasma membranes of the liver and kidneys, respectively. 5-7 However, this array of substrates and specific tissue localization have not provided insight into Mrp4 function in vivo.Mrp4 was first suggested to play a role in the adaptive response to the hepatic overload of bile acids following the genetic deletion of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a bile acid sensor. 8,9 A subsequent study suggested that Mrp4 was not elevated upon feeding the hydrophobic bile acid, lithocholic acid. 10 Despite this finding, other studies have demonstrated that hepatic Mrp4 is upregulated in both rats and mice after bile duct ligation 6,11 and in pediatric patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis. 12 Recent studies demonstrate that MRP4 functions as an efflux pump for bile acids together with glutathione. 13 Further support for a role for MRP4 in hepatic bile acid overload is the recent demonstration that Mrp4 is upregulated by the constitutive androstane receptor. 14 Constitutive androstane receptor is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that is required to elevate serum bile acids during cholestatic injury. 15 Cholestatic injury in mice, rats, and humans can also result in adaptive responses in other basolateral transporters. Examples include Mrp3, which is primarily a bilirubin conjugate transporter and also a constitutive androstane receptor target, 15 and the recently described heterodi...