Changes in oxygen consumption induced by t-butyl hydroperoxide in perfused rat liver. Effect of free-radical scavengers.

The addition of t-butyl hydroperoxide to perfused rat liver elicited a biphasic effect on hepatic respiration. A rapid fall in liver oxygen consumption was initially observed, followed by a recovery phase leading to respiratory rates higher than the initial steady-state values of oxygen uptake. This overshoot in hepatic oxygen uptake was abolished by free-radical scavengers such as (+)-cyanidanol-3 or butylated hydroxyanisole at concentrations that did not alter mitochondrial respiration. (+)-Cyanidanol-3 was also able to facilitate the recovery of respiration, the diminution in the calculated rate of hydroperoxide utilization and the decrease in liver GSH content produced by two consecutive pulses of t-butyl hydroperoxide. It is suggested that the t-butyl hydroperoxide-induced overshoot in liver respiration is related to increased utilization of oxygen for lipid peroxidation as a consequence of free radicals produced in the scission of the hydroperoxide by cellular haemoproteins.