Effect of obstructive cholestasis on membrane traffic and domain-specific expression of plasma membrane proteins in rat liver parenchymal cells

We investigated the effect of bile duct ligation and its release on membrane traffic and plasma membrane protein distribution in rat hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence studies with monoclonal antibodies against six domain-specific surface antigens revealed that bile duct ligation leads to an accumulation of pericanalicular vesicles containing canalicular antigens. All apical antigens could be demonstrated in the basolateral plasma membrane, whereas only one out of three basolateral antigens redistributed to the canalicular plasma membrane. After release of bile duct ligation, the accumulated pericanalicular vesicles disappeared within minutes, whereas the plasma membrane polarity was not restored within 1 hr. Monitoring secretion of polymeric IgA and horseradish peroxidase into bile demonstrated that bile duct ligation also inhibits the transcytotic vesicle pathway and severely impairs the function of tight junctions. In contrast, bile duct ligation appears not to affect the endoplasmic reticulum to basolateral membrane traffic as assessed by determination of newly synthesized albumin and transferrin in serum nor does it influence receptor mediated endocytosis at the basolateral plasma membrane.