Establishment and cellular characteristics of a hepatocyte cell line (OUMS-31) derived from an acatalasemic mouse

Liver cell lines with very low catalase activity were established from an acatalasemic mouse. Hepatocytes isolated by a collagenase-liver-perfusion technique were cultured in Williams' E medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. The acatalasemic liver cell line showed approximately 20% of the catalase activity of a normal mouse liver cell line, whereas its glutathione peroxidase activity was approximately equal to that of the normal liver cell line. DNA sequence analysis of this cell line showed the same mutation in the catalase gene as is seen in the acatalasemic mouse. Our observation of intracellular content of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radical and increased susceptibility of the cells to H2O2 were compatible with the existence of low catalase activity in the acatalasemic mouse. This hepatocyte cell line should be useful for studying effects of oxidative radical stress at the cellular level.