Formation of activated oxygen in the hypoxic rat liver.

The biliary GSSG efflux rate of normoxic perfused rat liver was 1.5 +/- 0.2 nmol/min/g liver wet weight. The GSSG efflux rate as indicator for the flux through the glutathione peroxidase reaction and, therefore, for an oxidative loading increased with the extent of hypoxia. 2.6 +/- 0.5 nmol/min/g were released from the severely hypoxic liver. The hydroxyl radical scavenger formate as well as the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol reduced the efflux rate of GSSG. GSH was released from the perfused liver at a rate of 15.5 nmol/min/g which was nearly unchanged in severe hypoxia. The high rate of glucose liberation from the hypoxic liver declined to almost that of the normoxic organ in the presence of formate. There is an 'oxidative stress' during hypoxic liver perfusion which probably originates from increased generation of activated oxygen species in the degradation of purine nucleotides.