The role of the content (decreased level of apolipoprotein A1) and of the container (bile duct stricture, sectorial dilatation of the ducts determining bile stasis) in the pathogenesis of hepatolithiasis, either pigment or cholesterol

Hepatobiliary function in senescent male sprague‐dawley rats

Jeffrey A. Handler, Caroline A. Genell, Robin S. Goldstein – 1 June 1994 – The purpose of these studies was to investigate intrahepatic changes underlying age‐related decreases in bile flow by evaluating the effects of aging on bile acid–dependent and –independent flow, canalicular versus ductular flow and hepatic tight junction permeability. The isolated perfused liver was used to assess age‐related changes in intrinsic hepatobiliary function without the complications of extrahepatic factors such as circulating hormones or hemodynamics.

Ontogeny of hepatobiliary secretion: Role of glutathione

Parvathi Mohan, Saidee C. Ling, John B. Watkins – 1 June 1994 – The ontogeny of hepatic synthesis and biliary secretion of glutathione was characterized and correlated with hepatic gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, bile flow rate, biliary bile acids and amino acids in Sprague‐Dawley rats at 18 days of gestation and postnatally at ages 7, 14, 21, 28 and 54 days. Bile was collected by bile duct cannulation under intraperitoneal anesthesia with nembutal/ketamine.

Serum ALT: Tarnished gold standard for interferon response in hepatitis C virus infection

Hal F. Yee, Teresa L. Wright – 1 June 1994 – Serial serum samples and pretreatment and post‐treatment liver tissue from patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were tested for HCV RNA by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction and branched DNA signal amplification assays. At the end of treatment with interferon‐α (IFNα), 4 of 5 patients showing no biochemical response (in alanine aminotransferase activity), 4 of 5 with transient responses, and 1 of 5 showing complete and sustained responses had HCV RNA detectable in serum.

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase is increased in the serum of precirrhotic and cirrhotic alcoholic patients and can serve as a marker of fibrosis

Jianjun Li, Alan S. Rosman, Maria A. Leo, Yasuo Nagai, Charles S. Lieber – 1 June 1994 – One of the contributory factors to the development of cirrhosis is a decrease in collagenase activity, which may be related to levels of inhibitors such as serum tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase.

Renin and angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the kidneys of rats subjected to long‐term bile duct ligation

Mariano Ubeda, Marion M. Matzilevich, Noemí M. Atucha, Joaquín García‐Estañ, Tomás Quesada, Shiow‐Shih Tang, Julie R. Ingelfinger – 1 June 1994 – Activation of antinatriuretic systems such as the renin‐angiotensin system, is of major importance in the pathogenesis of sodium retention in cirrhosis. In this study, we studied the intrarenal renin‐angiotensin system by measuring renin and angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the kidney of rats subjected to long‐term bile duct ligation in a phase before the development of ascites, when sodium retention is already present.

Use of reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction to evaluate in vivo cytokine gene expression in rats fed ethanol for long periods

Amin A. Nanji, Shuping Zhao, S. M. Hossein Sadrzadeh, David J. Waxman – 1 June 1994 – We evaluated the expression of interleukin‐1α, interleukin‐1β, tumor necrosis factor‐α and transforming growth factor‐β mRNAs in the intragastric‐feeding rat model of alcoholic liver disease. Rats were fed different diets for periods of 2 or 4 wk. Animals fed saturated fat and ethanol and the corn oil–dextrose control group had no liver injury, whereas animals fed corn oil and ethanol showed pathologic changes.

Cholecystectomy protects against extrahepatic bile duct cancer: Is this a result of the removal of gallstones?

David T. Walden, Roger D. Soloway, Roger S. Crowther – 1 June 1994 – The aetiology of cancer of the extrahepatic bile duct is unknown. Gallstones have been proposed to be a risk factor on the basis of ecological and epidemiological evidence. As gallstones are formed in the gallbladder, the occurrence of extrahepatic bileduct cancer in patients after cholecystectomy is of interest.

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