Potential implications for monitoring serum bile acid profiles in circulation with serum proteome for carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury/regeneration model in mice

J Proteome Res. 2010 Sep 3;9(9):4490-500. doi: 10.1021/pr1002388.

Abstract

Bile acids have recently emerged as versatile signaling molecules, and their signaling pathway is a promising target for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Here, we developed a highly sensitive and high-throughput quantification method for six taurine- and glycine-conjugated bile acids using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry after solid-phase extraction (SPE-MALDI-TOF MS). In a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury/regeneration model in mice, serum bile acid profiles were monitored, and the same samples were separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE), and protein spots that significantly changed in quantity in a serial time points were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Serum taurocholic acid (TCA) concentration was significantly elevated earlier than the increase of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, a potentially sensitive marker for minimal hepatic damage. Furthermore, TCA peaked at 20 h after treatment when massive serum proteins appeared in circulation. It should be noted that direct MALDI-imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) has succeeded in showing a hepatic lobular distribution change of TCA, predominantly seen in zone 1 area whereas necrotic changes were dominant in zone 3 area. The in-depth analysis of bile acid profiles in circulation with hepatic lobular distribution is a strong basis to understand the serum proteome in CCl4-induced liver injury model.

MeSH terms

  • Alanine Transaminase / metabolism
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / metabolism
  • Bile Acids and Salts / blood*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Proteins / analysis*
  • Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / blood*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / blood*
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional
  • Glycine / metabolism
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Liver Regeneration / physiology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Taurine / metabolism
  • Taurocholic Acid / blood

Substances

  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Proteins
  • Taurine
  • Taurocholic Acid
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • Glycine