Lipid metabolism in primary cultured hepatocytes from daunomycin-nephrotic rats.

We investigated the lipid metabolism in primary cultured hepatocytes to elucidate the causes of hyperlipidemia, increased cholesteryl esters, and decreased triglyceride levels in the livers of daunomycin-nephrotic rats. The incorporation of 14C-palmitate into phospholipids and triglycerides in primary cultured hepatocytes and medium was similar in daunomycin-nephrotic and control rats. The incorporation of 14C-acetate into phospholipids, triglycerides, cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, and total fatty acids in primary cultured hepatocytes was increased in daunomycin-nephrotic rats. The radioactivity of phospholipids, triglycerides, cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, and very-low-density lipoprotein lipids in medium was increased in the hepatocytes of daunomycin-nephrotic rats using 14C-acetate as a precursor. The increased cholesterogenesis and the increased secretion of triglycerides synthesized from acetate by hepatocytes may be due to an increased cholesteryl ester content and a decreased triglyceride content in the livers of daunomycin-nephrotic rats. The increased secretion of lipids synthesized from acetate by hepatocytes may be due to increased accumulation of lipids in serum and very-low-density lipoprotein in daunomycin-nephrotic rats.