Apoptosis in liver damage produced by tunicamycin.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether apoptosis contributes to hepatocyte loss in tunicamycin poisoning.

DESIGN

Groups of four guinea pigs were given 400 microg/kg of tunicamycin subcutaneously and killed at 24 h intervals up to 72 h post-injection. Livers were examined by routine histological methods and ancillary techniques (TUNEL staining, endonuclease activation, caspase activity, and electron microscopy) to ascertain whether any hepatocyte injury was apoptotic.

RESULTS

Many hepatocytes exposed to tunicamycin showed evidence of apoptosis in the form of nuclear karyorrhexis with chromatin margination and crescent formation, TUNEL-positivity, DNA laddering, elevated caspase activity and apoptotic body formation.

CONCLUSION

Tunicamycin caused the death of many hepatocytes in the livers of guinea pigs by apoptosis.