Glucuronidation of bile acids in human liver, intestine and kidney

Abstract

The activities of UDP-glucuronyl transferase(s) in homogenates and microsomal preparations of human liver, kidney and intestine were tested with hyodeoxycholic acid (HDC). The various kinetic parameters of the UDC-glucuronidation were determined from time course experiments. In both liver and kidney preparations, HDC underwent a very active metabolic transformation: liver Km = 78 μM, Vmax = 3.3 nmol·min −1mg −1 protein; kidney Km = 186 μM, Vmax = 9.9 nmol·min −1.mg −1 protein. To our knowledge this is the first observation of both an extensive and comparable bile acid glucuronidation occurring in renal and hepatic tissues