Studies on the hepatotoxicity induced by bis (tributyltin) oxide

The toxic effects of bis (tributyltin) oxide (TBTO) on the rat liver were studied with an electron microscope and the accumulation sites of tin were determined with an X-ray microanalyzer. The activities of serum enzymes and the concentration of serum bilirubin were also analyzed. Male Wistar rats received an intramuscular injection of 0.5 ml/kg of TBTO. Marked swelling of the mitochondria appeared in the hepatocytes 4 h after injection of TBTO. Cytoplasmic vacuoles, which contained degenerated mitochondria, gradually increased in number in these hepatocytes. This in turn may have caused a decrease in the volume of hepatic cell cords and an enlargement of sinusoids in the entire hepatic lobule. However, fine structures of intrahepatic bile ducts were not altered. By X-ray microanalysis, tin peaks were preferentially obtained from swollen mitochondria of the hepatocytes. By polarographic analysis of the respiratory responses of mitochondria, it was demonstrated that rates of state 4 respiration and respiratory control ratio were significantly disturbed in TBTO-treated rats in comparison with those of controls. The activities of AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase) were significantly increased after TBTO treatment, but those of ALP (alkaline phosphatase), LAP (leucine aminopeptidase) and total bilirubin were not changed. These results indicated that parenterally administered TBTO accumulated in the liver cell mitochondria and disturbed oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial dysfunction might induce severe damage of the hepatocytes. Four days after injection of TBTO, hepatic structures and chemical indices were almost restored by the regeneration of hepatocytes.