Hepatic Excretory Function in the Endotoxin-Tolerant Rat

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Abstract
The isolated perfused liver of endotoxin-tolerant rats exhibited lower bile flow and sulfobromophthalein (BSP) excretion rates than did similar preparations from control animals. In addition, the Na+,K+-ATPase activity of bile canalicular-enriched liver plasma membranes isolated from tolerant animals was less than that observed in canalicular membranes isolated from normal rats. Although, acute endotoxin treatment inhibited bile flow and BSP excretion in the isolated perfused rat liver and Na +,K +-ATP-ase in canalicular membranes from controls, this treatment caused no further reductions in these parameters in preparations obtained from endotoxin-tolerant rats. Thus, the tolerant rat appeared to be refractory to the acute effects of endotoxin. Although it is possible that an interaction of endotoxin with the liver plasma membrane could account for these results, the underlying mechanism(s) for the observed refractoriness is unknown.