Defective corticotropin‐releasing hormone mediated neuroendocrine and behavioral responses in cholestatic rats: Implications for cholestatic liver disease–related sickness behaviors

Mark G. Swain, Mirjana Maric – 1 November 1995 – Nonspecific systemic complaints are commonly encountered in patients with cholestatic liver diseases. However, the cause of these symptoms is poorly understood. Because corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) has been implicated as a mediator of sickness‐related systemic symptoms, we examined CRH‐mediated neuroendocrine and behavioral responses in rats with cholestasis due to bile duct resection (BDR) or sham resected (sham) controls.

Hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells can store and metabolize serum immunoglobulin

Shinichi Iwamura, Hideaki Enzan, Toshiji Saibara, Saburo Onishi, Yasutake Yamamoto – 1 November 1995 – Sinusoidal inclusion‐containing endothelial cells in the liver were investigated with particular interest in their capacity of metabolizing immunoglobulin. Formalin‐fixed deparaffinized liver specimens were used for immunohistochemistry, and pronase digestion was proved to be effective for antigen retrieval of immunoglobulin. The inclusions in sinusoidal endothelial cells were strongly immunostained with anti‐immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA, and IgM antibodies in predigested sections.

Immunogenic role of kupffer cells in a rat model of acute liver allograft rejection

Hiroshi Imamura, Sophie Laberge, Antoine Brault, Jean Coté, P.‐Michel Huet – 1 November 1995 – Kupffer cells (KCs) are of bone‐marrow origin. After liver transplantation, recipient KCs are supposed to replace donor KCs. On the other hand, KCs are currently hypothesized to play a major immunogenic role in acute liver allograft rejection. In the present study, we investigated the immunogenic role of KCs in acute rat liver allograft rejection.

Systemic hypotension and diuresis by L‐arginine in cirrhotic patients with ascites: Role of nitric oxide

Kazuo Tajiri, Happei Miyakawa, Namiki Izumi, Fumiaki Marumo, Chifumi Sato – 1 November 1995 – To investigate the role of nitric oxide in renal function and hemodynamics in cirrhotic patients with ascites, L‐arginine (30 g in 300 mL of distilled water), a substrate for nitric oxide synthase, was infused into six cirrhotic patients with ascites, and the effects were compared with those of saline infusion. Healthy controls (n = 5) were also studied under the same conditions.

The effect of prostaglandin E1 on liver adenine nucleotides and cytoplasmic enzymes in a porcine model of normothermic hepatic ischemia

Thomas S. Helling, Brent M. Wogahn, Steve A. Olson, Laurie S. Evans, Bokka R. Reddy, Charles Vanway – 1 November 1995 – The liver has been judged relatively resistant to ischemia, but prolonged inflow occlusion at normothermic conditions can produce evidence of reversible or irreversible hepatocellular damage. Cytoprotective agents have been used both experimentally and clinically to afford extended viability of hepatocytes under reduced perfusion. One agent, prostaglandin E1, has been described clinically as effective in sustaining liver function under ischemic conditions.

Closing in on a “familial cholestasis gene”

Joseph Wagstaff, Maureen M. Jonas – 1 November 1995 – It is now feasible to map disease genes by screening the genome for linkage disequilibrium between the disease and marker alleles. This report presents the first application of this approach for a previously unmapped locus. A gene for benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis (BRIC) was mapped to chromosome 18 by searching for chromosome segments shared by only three distantly related patients. The screening results were confirmed by identifying an extended haplotype conserved between the patients.

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