A biochemical and NMR spectroscopic study of hydrazine in the isolated rat hepatocyte

Using isolated rat hepatocytes the biochemical effects of hydrazine have been investigated using both conventional assay techniques and high resolution proton NMR. High resolution proton NMR revealed that hydrazine caused a significant increase in alanine and lactate levels in the incubation buffer, whereas levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate were decreased. NMR also detected metabolites of hydrazine notably acetylhydrazine and a cyclised hydrazone formed with alpha-ketoglutarate. Changes were detected in NADH and NADPH, ATP, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and total non-protein sulphydryl groups (TNPSH). However, the changes in pyridine nucleotides occurred at higher concentrations than those affecting succinate dehydrogenase and ATP. Similarly, the depletion of TNPSH occurred at a higher concentration and with a different time course to that seen with ATP depletion and inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase.