Effect of hydrazine exposure on hepatic triacylglycerol biosynthesis

Acute hydrazine exposure elevated rat liver triacylglycerol content and produced a rapid rise in triacylglycerol production from sn-[1,3-14C]glycerol 3-phosphate by liver homogenate and microsomal fractions. Hydrazine treatment also increased the incorporation of [1,3-14C]glycerol into hepatic triacylglycerol by the intact animal. Homogenates of hepatocyte monolayers exposed to hydrazine in vitro also exhibited an increased capacity to form triacylglycerol from sn-[1,3-14C]glycerol 3-phosphate. Hydrazine-dependent increases in hepatic triacylglycerol production measured in vitro correlated well with an increase in microsomal phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.4) activity. Therefore, the fatty liver associated with hydrazine exposure may be explained in part by a rise in the enzymatic capacity of hepatic triacylglycerol biosynthesis.