Studies on Azaserine-Induced Fatty Liver in the Rat

Summary

The effect of azaserine on liver lipid composition, on lipogenesis in vitro in liver slices and on serum lipoproteins, on liver content of ATP, biotin, and nicotinamide nucleotides in the rat is reported. The effect of ATP or adenine in azaserine-treated rats is also presented. The neutral fats in the liver of azaserine-treated rats significantly increased, while the incorporation in vitro of acetate-¹⁴C into total lipids decreased. In the same experimental conditions the liver concentration of biotin and nicotinamide nucleotides fell. A marked decrease of the levels of serum lipoprotein also was observed. The administration of ATP or adenine to azaserine-treated rats did not prevent either the development of fatty liver, the decrease of liver biotin and of serum lipoprotein, or the decrease of acetate-¹⁴C incorporation into liver lipids. On the contrary, the administration of ATP or adenine partially reversed the azaserine effects on the liver content of nicotinamide nucleotides and increased the liver concentration of ATP.