Conversion of mitochondrial redox state toward oxidation by prostacyclin in 70%-hepatectomized rats

Arterial blood ketone body ratio (KBR) and hepatic mitochondrial phosphorylation rate (PR) were investigated in partially (70%) hepatectomized rats treated with 100 micrograms/kg body weight prostacyclin (PGI2) analogue i.p. after operation and every 12 h thereafter up to 72 h. Sampling was performed at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after operation. In sham-operated rats, KBR significantly increased from the preoperative values of 0.34 +/- 0.03 and 0.38 +/- 0.03, to 0.55 +/- 0.03 and 0.58 +/- 0.02 at 12 h in the groups with and without PGI2 treatment, respectively (P less than 0.001). KBR returned to the preoperative levels after 24 h in the PGI2-treated group, while it tended to be in the lower normal range in the untreated group. In the hepatectomized rats, KBR significantly decreased in the untreated group compared with the preoperative values and the values in the sham-operated group. It returned to the preoperative range within 72 h. In the PGI2-treated group, KBR increased significantly, to values above 0.54, after a 24-h delay and was maintained at those levels for 72 h. Concentrations of total ketone bodies (TKB) in the untreated groups remained in the upper range of preoperative values (above 200 nmol/ml) in the sham-operated rats and decreased significantly in the hepatectomized group (234 to 126 nmol/ml). TKB in the treated groups tended to decrease only in the sham-operated group (205 to 166 nmol/ml), and was massively reduced in the hepatectomized group (167 to 81 nmol/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)