Cytotoxicity of mononuclear cells and vulnerability of hepatocytes in alcoholic fatty liver of baboons.

Mononuclear cell cytotoxicity against autologous, allogeneic and xenogeneic (rabbit) hepatocytes was investigated in nine baboons fed alcohol for 17-21 months and in nine pair-fed controls. All alcohol-fed animals developed fatty liver. Cytotoxicity of mononuclear cells was not observed when rabbit hepatocytes were used as target cells, but mononuclear cells of alcohol-fed baboons were cytotoxic against hepatocytes of both control animals and hepatocytes from alcohol-fed baboons, including the animals' own hepatocytes. Increased vulnerability of hepatocytes of alcohol-fed baboons was also demonstrated since mononuclear cells of both controls and alcohol-fed animals were more cytotoxic against hepatocytes of alcohol-fed baboons than against those of controls. Thus, autologous and heterologous hepatocytes are more sensitive in the baboon than rabbit hepatocytes in demonstrating cytotoxicity already at the stage of fatty liver. Two factors are contributory: mononuclear cells cytotoxicity and vulnerability of hepatocytes.