Endotoxin promotes preferential periportal upregulation of VLDL secretion in the rat liver

Zonation affects liver parenchymal cell function and metabolism as well as nonparenchymal cell activation, but whether VLDL production is zonated has yet to be elucidated. Infection induces enhanced VLDL secretion by the liver. Ex vivo studies were undertaken to examine the liver heterogeneity for VLDL formation and secretion and their in vivo response to endotoxin. Highly pure periportal (PP) and perivenous (PV) hepatocytes were isolated from fasted lipopolysaccharide-treated, fasted, and fed rats. They were used to assess their capacity to release VLDL-apolipoprotein B (apoB) and lipid classes in relation to de novo lipid synthesis and the expression of genes crucial to VLDL production. Despite the common superior ability of PP hepatocytes for lipid release and zonal differences in lipid synthesis, zonated secretion of VLDL particles was observed in septic but not in normal fed or fasted livers. The endotoxin-induced apoB secretion was more accentuated in PP hepatocytes; this was accompanied by a preferential PP increase in apoB and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein mRNA levels, whereas lipogenesis indicators were, if anything, similarly modified in hepatocytes of either acinar origin. We conclude that PP and PV hepatocytes exhibited similar capabilities for VLDL formation/secretion in normal conditions; however, the endotoxic pressure did zonate periportally.