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Biliary and urinary excretion rates and serum concentration changes of four bilirubin photoproducts in Gunn rats during total darkness and low or high illumination.

ABSTRACT: On cycled exposure of Gunn rats to total darkness and low and high illumination, biliary excretion rates of (EZ)- and (ZE)-bilirubin and (EZ)-cyclobilirubin increased up to approx. 10-fold from the mean basal values of 1.2 and 0.2 microgram/h to the mean maximum values of 25.2 and 4.2 micrograms/h respectively, and at the same time those of (EE)-bilirubin and (EE)-cyclobilirubin also increased, but at very much lower rates than those of the first-mentioned two. During the low illumination only (EZ)- and (ZE)-bilirubin and (EZ)-cyclobilirubin appeared in the urine; during the high illumination (EE)-bilirubin and (EE)-cyclobilirubin also appeared, showing a similar excretion pattern to that observed in the bile, but the total urinary excretion rates were lower than the total biliary excretion rates. The serum bilirubin concentrations fell gradually to lower values, accompanied by an increment in (EZ)- and (ZE)-bilirubin, but (EZ)-cyclobilirubin was not detected. It is concluded that during phototherapy the predominant pathway for the removal of bilirubin from the body in the Gunn rat is by biliary excretion of the geometric photoisomers (EZ)- and (ZE)-bilirubin, derived from Z----E isomerization, and the structural photoisomer (EZ)-cyclobilirubin, formed from intramolecular endo-vinyl cyclization.

SUBMITTER: Onishi S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1144101 | biostudies-other | 1984 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Circulating bilirubin is associated with reduced serum cholesterol concentrations in humans and in hyperbilirubinaemic Gunn rats. However, mechanisms contributing to hypocholesterolaemia remain unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate cholesterol synthesis, transport and excretion in mutant Gunn rats. Adult Gunn and control rats were assessed for daily faecal sterol excretion using metabolic cages, and water was supplemented with [1-13 C]-acetate to determine cholesterol synthesis. Bile was collected to measure biliary lipid secretion. Serum and liver were collected for biochemical analysis and for gene/protein expression using RT-qPCR and western blot, respectively. Additionally, serum was collected and analysed from juvenile rats. A significant interaction of sex, age and phenotype on circulating lipids was found with adult female Gunn rats reporting significantly lower cholesterol and phospholipids. Female Gunn rats also demonstrated elevated cholesterol synthesis, greater biliary lipid secretion and increased total faecal cholesterol and bile acid excretion. Furthermore, they possessed increased hepatic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and SREBP2 expression. In contrast, there were no changes to sterol metabolism in adult male Gunn rats. This is the first study to demonstrate elevated faecal sterol excretion in female hyperbilirubinaemic Gunn rats. Increased sterol excretion creates a negative intestinal sterol balance that is compensated for by increased cholesterol synthesis and LDL receptor expression. Therefore, reduced circulating cholesterol is potentially caused by increased hepatic uptake via the LDL receptor. Future studies are required to further evaluate the sexual dimorphism of this response and whether similar findings occur in females with benign unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia (Gilbert's syndrome). KEY POINTS: Female adult hyperbilirubinaemic (Gunn) rats demonstrated lower circulating cholesterol, corroborating human studies that report a negative association between bilirubin and cholesterol concentrations. Furthermore, female Gunn rats had elevated sterol excretion creating a negative intestinal sterol balance that was compensated for by elevated cholesterol synthesis and increased hepatic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression. Therefore, elevated LDL receptor expression potentially leads to reduced circulating cholesterol levels in female Gunn rats providing an explanation for the hypocholesterolaemia observed in humans with elevated bilirubin levels. This study also reports a novel interaction of sex with the hyperbilirubinaemic phenotype on sterol metabolism because changes were only reported in females and not in male Gunn rats. Future studies are required to further evaluate the sexual dimorphism of this response and whether similar findings occur in females with benign unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia (Gilbert's syndrome).

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Biliary and urinary excretion rates and serum concentration changes of four bilirubin photoproducts in Gunn rats during total darkness and low or high illumination.

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