Hepatic oestrone sulphotransferase activity and plasma levels of oestrone sulphate, oestrone and oestradiol in male guinea pigs with fatty liver

Abstract

Abstract. Fatty liver was induced in male guinea pigs by combined administration of carbon tetrachloride and azathioprine from the 3rd to 15th week of age. The final body and liver weights were significantly lower than in the control animals, whereas the liver weight in percentage of total body weight was equal. The protein concentration in the 105 000 × g cytosol fraction from the livers was significantly lower than in controls (2P < 0.02). The oestrone sulphotransferase activity was studied by measuring the oestrone sulphate production when incubating oestron, PAPS + [35S]PAPS and liver cytosol for 1 h. Significantly less oestrone sulphate per mg protein, per gram liver tissue or total liver was produced with cytosol from animals with fatty liver than from controls (2P < 0.02). In accordance with decreased oestrone sulphotransferase activity, animals with fatty liver revealed significantly lower plasma levels for oestrone sulphate (2P < 0.02), whereas the plasma levels for oestrone and oestradiol were increased (2P < 0.02). The present study supports the assumption of decreased oestrone sulphotransferase activity being important for the changes in plasma oestrogens seen in alcoholic men with fatty liver.