Figure 4. Alcohol (EtOH) increases hepatocyte susceptibility to nitric oxide (˙NO)-induced inhibition of respiration during hypoxia.
(A) Changes in O2 tension in the room air-equilibrated media above attached hepatocytes over time following exposure to 1% O2 atmosphere. The effect of 0–1000 µM DetaNONOate (DetaNO) added immediately prior to the start of the assay on oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of hepatocytes from control rats (B) and EtOH-fed rats (C) over time as O2 decreases as seen in (A). Results are mean ± SEM. n=5 per group. In panel B, all points in the 250 µM, 500 µM, and 1 mM DetaNO curves were significantly different from vehicle-treated from 188 min, 173 min, and 130 min, respectively. In panel C, all points in the 250 µM and 500 µM DetaNO curves were significantly different from vehicle-treated from 58 min and all points in the 1 mM DetaNO curve were significantly different from vehicle treated from 44 min. Results expressed as percent of baseline (measurement prior to DetaNO or vehicle addition) and are mean ± SEM. Basal OCR values are 153 ± 9 pmol O2/min for controls and 109 ± 9 pmol O2/min for the EtOH group. n=5 per group.