Bile acid formation in primary human hepatocytes

AIM To evaluate a system for bile acid formation in human hepatocytes in comparison with HepG2 cells.METHODS Hepatocytes were isolated from normal human liver tissue and were cultured in serum-freeWilliam's E medium. The medium was collected and renewed every 24 h. Bile acids and their precursors inmedia were finally analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.RESULTS Cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) conjugated with glycine or taurineaccounted for 70% and 25% of total steroids. One third of CDCA was also conjugated with sulphuric acid.Dexamethasone and thyroid hormone alone or in combination did not significantly affect bile acid formation.The addition of cyclosporin A (10 tm) inhibited the synthesis of CA and CDCA by about 13% and 30%,respectively.CONCLUSION Isolated human hepatocytes in primary culture behave as in the intact liver by convertingalmost quantitatively cholesterol to conjugated CA and CDCA. This is in contrast to cultured HepG2 cells,which release large amounts of bile acid precursors and unconjugated bile acids into the medium.