Long-term culture of hepatocytes: ethanol oxidation and effect of ethanol on enzyme activities and albumin secretion.

Rat hepatocytes were cultured in a modified HI-WO/BA medium for 13 days, and the combined effect of dexamethasone, 10(-7) M, insulin, 10(-8) M, and glucagon, 10(-9) M on the DNA-content, and on the activity of several enzymes, the secretion of albumin and the rate of ethanol oxidation was investigated. The effect of ethanol on these parameters was also studied. All parameters measured declined with time in the hormone-free cultures. In hormone-supplemented cultures, the DNA-content, the activity of glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase and the secretion of albumin was maintained at reasonable levels throughout the 13 days, whereas both the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and the rate of ethanol oxidation fell significantly, although less than in hormone-free cultures. Addition of 50 mM ethanol to the hormone-supplemented culture medium caused a ca. 20% fall in the activity of glucokinase and pyruvate kinase and a 20% increase in alcohol dehydrogenase activity. No effect of ethanol was observed on the activity of hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase or on the secretion of albumin.