Two formulations of the industrial surfactant, Toximul, differentially reduce hepatic glycogen in a surfactant/influenza B virus mouse model of acute liver failure: Correlations with effects on HepG2 glycogen content

Industrial surfactants (ISs) are used extensively in the environment to suspend water immiscible chemicals, such as pesticides. Many of them are labeled as biologically inert. However, young mice exposed chronically to the industrial surfactant Toximul (Tox) and subsequently infected with influenza B virus (FluB) exhibit many of the symptoms of acute liver failure. Recently, Tox exposure has been shown to result in significant reduction in mouse liver glycogen several days after exposure to Tox had ceased. The time course of Tox effects on hepatic glycogen has not been investigated previously. The first study was designed to characterize and compare the effects of two formulations of Tox (Tox 3409F and Tox MP-A) without and with FluB on liver glycogen content and body weights from birth to postnatal day (P) 21 in CFW and CD-1 mice. The second study was designed to investigate the effects of Tox 3409F and Tox MP-A (concentration- and time-dependence) on the human hepatoma HepG2 cell-line. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...