Enzyme markers of collagen synthesis in carbon tetrachloride-induced fibrosis and during colchicine modification of CCl4-induced liver injury

Abstract Serum galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase (S-Glu-Gal-Hyl-Tase), liver galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase (L-Glu-Gal-Hyl-Tase), liver hydroxylysyl galactosyltransferase (L-Gal-Hyl-Tase), and liver prolyl hydroxylase (L-PH) activities were measured in rats during the development of CCl 4 -induced cirrhosis (0.2 ml of 33% CCl 4 in light mineral oil two times weekly for 10 weeks followed by 6 weeks of no treatment). Serum and liver markers of collagen synthesis increased in a time-dependent manner reaching maximum activity at 6 weeks (S-Glu-Gal-Hyl-Tase, two times; L-PH, two times). These enzyme levels returned to normal during the 4-week recovery period. In a separate 4-week experiment, colchicine (10 μg/rat/day) was administered with CCl 4 . Colchicine prevented the increase in S-Glu-Gal-Hyl-Tase, L-Glu-Gal-Hyl-Tase, and L-Gal-Hyl-Tase induced by CCl 4 and resulted in a smaller increase in L-PH. These results demonstrate that S-Glu-Gal-Hyl-Tase elevation occurs following CCl 4 because of increased liver collagen synthetic activity and the hepatocellular injury produced by CCl 4 .