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Experimental Protocol for Detecting Mitochondrial Function in Hepatocytes Exposed to Organochlorine Pesticides
Published on: September 16, 2020
The Effects of Fentanyl on Hepatic Mitochondrial Function
Siamak Djafarzadeh1, Madhusudanarao Vuda, Victor Jeger
1From the *Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland; and †Department of Clinical Research, Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Fentanyl marginally impacts liver cell mitochondrial respiration, an effect blocked by naloxone or 5-HD. This opioid reduces cellular ATP, potentially due to increased energy demands for drug efflux transport.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Mitochondrial Physiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Remifentanil is known to impair hepatic mitochondrial function.
- Fentanyl, a widely used opioid, has an unclear effect on liver mitochondria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of fentanyl on hepatic mitochondrial function and cellular metabolism.
- To determine the mechanisms underlying fentanyl's effects on liver cells.
Main Methods:
- Human hepatoma HepG2 cells were treated with fentanyl.
- Cells were pretreated with naloxone (opioid receptor antagonist) or 5-hydroxydecanoate (mitoKATP channel inhibitor) before fentanyl exposure.
- Mitochondrial respiration, ATP content, and ATPase activity were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Fentanyl slightly reduced maximal mitochondrial respiration but did not affect basal respiration.
- Naloxone or 5-HD pretreatment prevented fentanyl's effect on stimulated respiration.
- Fentanyl decreased cellular ATP levels in a dose-dependent manner, possibly due to stimulated efflux transporter activity.
Conclusions:
- Fentanyl impairs stimulated mitochondrial respiration in hepatocytes via a mitoKATP channel-dependent mechanism.
- Reduced cellular ATP may result from increased energy expenditure for fentanyl efflux.
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