Advantage of serum type-I arginase and ornithine carbamoyltransferase in the evaluation of acute and chronic liver damage induced by thioacetamide in rats.

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the usefulness of serum type-I arginase (ARG) and ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCT) in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced acute and chronic liver injury in rats.

METHODS

In an acute injury model, we measured the time-courses of serum concentrations of ARG and OCT using ELISA, together with AST and ALT using biochemical enzymatic assays after a single administration of TAA (200 mg/kg, i.p.). In the chronic model, TAA was repeatedly administered (20 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 16 weeks and serum concentrations of the enzymes were evaluated.

RESULTS

In the acute model, the concentrations of the enzymes were increased in a similar manner, peaking 24 h after the administration, and ARG showed the earliest and greatest increase among the enzymes tested. In the chronic model, the serum concentration of OCT was significantly increased only 1 week after oral treatment, while concentrations of the other enzymes were increased at 8 to 12 weeks. In the histological analysis, TAA treatment damaged hepatocytes in both the acute and chronic model.

CONCLUSIONS

These results clearly show the usefulness of ARG and OCT for the evaluation of acute and chronic liver injury, respectively.