Effects of 24-Hour Starvation on the Lipid Content of Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Fatty Liver in Mice

Abstract

Lipid contents of carbon tetrachloride-induced fatty liver in mice were studied by placing the animals under 24-hour fast immediately after or prior to the intraperitoneal administration of the hepatotoxic agent or control substance. The following major points became evident from our studies. 1. previous or consecutive 24-hour fast with intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride induced accumulation of greater amounts of liver triglycerides than the simple administration of the hepatotoxic agent or 24-hour fasting alone would. 2. On the basis of our findings above, the requirement of free fatty acids for the development of fatty liver in carbon tetrachloride poisoning, apart from being a direct cause, seems inevitable. In addition to these major conclusions, other gleanings obtained from our works were as follows. 1. The loss of liver weight by simple fasting in mice for 24 hours was by ca 10% and for 30 hours by ca 12%, of each control. 2. The gain in unit weight liver triglyceride content had already shown up by 6 hours after the induction of fasting and reached apparent plateau by 24-30 hours in relation to time course observed in two separate experiments. 3. The administration of carbon tetrachloride coupled with previous or ensuing starvation raised the unit weight liver total cholesterol content to a statistically significant extent; and fasting seemed to be dominating in effect over the action of carbon tetrachloride. 4. The unit weight liver phospholipid content was generally inversely proportional to the total liver weight except in the animal group admi-nistered carbon tetrachloride with subsequent 24-hour fasting, in which group the phospholipid increase had in part contributed to the liver weight gain. 5. The unit weight liver glycogen content was most markedly decreased by the combined action of carbon tetrachloride administration and prev ious or subsequent fasting than any other experimental conditions set forth; however, the glycogen depleting action of carbon tetrachloride seemed to be superior to that of 24-hour fasting.