Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0019158 (hepatitis)
 30,205 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Propagermanium is an organic germanium compound with immunopotentiating activity. We examined the hepatoprotective effect of propagermanium and its mechanism in an experimental animal model of acute liver injury induced with Corynebacterium parvum (C. parvum) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Oral pretreatment with propagermanium decreased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity in a dose-dependent manner. Significant attenuation of ALT and AST activity was obtained at a dose of 3 mg/kg. Administration of propagermanium also inhibited the infiltration of mononuclear cells into the liver of mice induced by C. parvum/LPS. Immunohistochemical examination revealed infiltration of the liver by CD4-, CD8-, CD11b- and Gr-1-positive cells. Propagermanium prevented CD4- and CD11b-positive cells from infiltrating the liver. In this animal model, blood cytokine levels increased rapidly after LPS injection, causing severe hepatitis. Notably, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) are important mediators of the progress of liver injury. We demonstrated that propagermanium reduced IFN-gamma production by 53% at a dose of 3 mg/kg and also significantly inhibited the production of interleukin-12 (IL-12). These results indicate that propagermanium inhibits cell infiltration in the liver and cytokine production, and improves massive liver injury in C. parvum/LPS mice.
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PMID:Hepatoprotective effect of propagermanium on Corynebacterium parvum and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice. 971 10

Propagermanium (3-oxygermylpropionic acid polymer) is an organic germanium compound that activates the immune system. In this study, we investigated the action of propagermanium on T-cell-mediated murine hepatic injury induced by concanavalin A (Con A). Oral administration of propagermanium inhibited the development of liver injury about 10 h after ConA injection. Histological analysis demonstrated that propagermanium attenuated the extent of liver damage compared with controls, reducing infiltration by leucocytes, especially CD11b-positive cells. Infiltration by CD4-positive cells was not affected. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma are crucial for the development of hepatitis in this model. Propagermanium treatment induced significant inhibition of subsequent TNF-alpha production about 10 h after Con A injection, without affecting IFN-gamma, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-4 and IL-12 production. This effect on TNF-production coincided with the inhibition of aminotransferase activity late in the progression of Con A-induced liver injury. These facts suggest that this compound affects the macrophages (Mphi) function in the liver sinusoid. Therefore, Mphi were cultured with liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) and the effect of propagermanium on TNF-alpha production in the presence of IFN-gamma was determined. TNF-alpha production was reduced significantly in the coculture of Mphi and SEC when Mphi was treated with propagermanium. These results might explain the mechanisms by which propagermanium inhibits Con-A-induced liver injury. That is, propagermanium improves hepatitis through mechanisms including the reduced production of TNF-alpha, without modification of Th1- and Th2-cell function.
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PMID:Protection against concanavalin A-induced murine liver injury by the organic germanium compound, propagermanium. 987 94