Effect of d-galactosamine administration on nucleotide and protein metabolism in isolated rat Kupffer cells

The nucleoti-e contents of isolated rat Kupffer cells were found to be smaller than those of hepatocytes. The rate of UDPGal formation from D-galactose was much lower in Kupffer cells than in hepatocytes. The viability of the former was checked by measuring the leakage of enzymes and the formation of UTP from uridine. Addition of GalN to isolated Kupffer cells did not decrease their UTP and UDPG contents as much as those of hepatocytes. The same results were obtained when cells were isolated from GalN-pretreated animals. The incorporation of labeled amino acids into protein after GalN addition was much less reduced in Kupffer cells than in hepatocytes. The data suggest that Kupffer cells do not contribute to GalN-induced liver injury as a result of uridylate trapping.