Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Anoectochilus formosanus Hay. and Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino are popular folk medicines that have been used for treating hepatitis, hypertension and cancer in Taiwan. Our previous studies showed that these crude drugs exert antiinflammatory activity and hepatoprotective activity against CC14-induced liver damage. In this study, the antioxidant effect of these crude drugs and their hepatoprotective activity on acetaminophen-induced liver injury in rat was evaluated. Our results suggest that A. formosanus and G. pentaphyllum do have antioxidant effects. On acetaminophen-intoxicated model, the increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) by acetaminophen administration were reduced by treatment with these two herbs. In histological observation, gross necrosis in the centribular area, sinusoidal congestion, infiltration of the lymphocytes and Kupffer cells around the hepatic central vein, and loss of cell boundaries and ballooning degeneration were reduced with herbal treatment. However, the effect of A. formosanus and G. pentaphyllum is biphasic. Methanol extract (100 and 300 mg/kg) and water extract (300 and 500 mg/kg) of A formosanus and water extract (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) of G. pentaphyllum enhanced the recovery of liver injury while treatment with 500 mg/kg of A. formosanus methanol extract resulted in serious hepatic injury.
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PMID:Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Anoectochilus formosanus and Gynostemma pentaphyllum. 1079 20

Insulin resistant metabolic syndrome is a major clinical disorder including hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance and/or type 2 diabetes and central obesity, which are well established cardiovascular risk factors. We report the case of a 61-year-old woman who developed severe hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia after liver transplantation. In her forties she had hypertension, mixed hyperlipidaemia, mild hyperglycaemia and moderate abdominal obesity, suggesting the presence of the metabolic syndrome. She had liver enzyme elevation and severe steatosis and hepatomegaly at ultrasonography. At age 52, cryptogenic liver cirrhosis was diagnosed and rapidly progressing liver failure developed. In 1992 she underwent liver transplantation. Seven years after transplant the patient had abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, marked hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and moderate elevation of alanine aminotransferase. She also had impaired glucose tolerance and markedly increased basal and post-glucose load plasma insulin levels. Steatohepatitis was demonstrated by serial liver biopsies. This is the first case that reports the recurrence of the metabolic syndrome following liver transplantation. We postulate that metabolic syndrome may have promoted fatty liver and subsequent progression to end stage liver disease. We also stress the need for careful management of the metabolic syndrome in order to decrease the long-term risk for cardiovascular disease.
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PMID:Recurrence of insulin resistant metabolic syndrome following liver transplantation. 1254 3

Chronic liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although often used to detect liver disease, the prevalence and etiology of elevated aminotransferases are unknown. We analyzed data on adults ages 17 yr and older (N = 15,676) from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). Participants were classified as having elevated aminotransferase levels if either aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase was elevated above normal. Aminotransferase elevation was classified as "explained" if there was laboratory evidence of hepatitis B or C infection, iron overload, or if there was a history of alcohol consumption. Analyses were weighted to provide national estimates. The prevalence of aminotransferase elevation in the United States was 7.9%. Aminotransferase elevation was more common in men compared to women (9.3% vs 6.6%, p = 0.002), in Mexican Americans (14.9%) and non-Hispanic blacks (8.1%) compared to non-Hispanic whites (7.1%, p < 0.001). High alcohol consumption, hepatitis B or C infection and high transferrin saturation were found in only 31.0% of cases. Aminotransferase elevation was unexplained in the majority (69.0%). In both men and women, unexplained aminotransferase elevation was significantly associated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, triglycerides, fasting insulin, and lower HDL; and with type 2 diabetes and hypertension in women (all p < 0.05). Aminotransferase elevation was common in the United States, and the majority could not be unexplained by alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis or hemochromatosis. Unexplained aminotransferase elevation was strongly associated with adiposity and other features of the metabolic syndrome, and thus may represent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
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PMID:The prevalence and etiology of elevated aminotransferase levels in the United States. 1280 14

Recent studies indicate that some patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver have ongoing liver injury that may progress from steatosis to steatohepatitis or fibrosis. The present study was designed to clarify the clinical features of liver dysfunction observed in the course of workplace physical check-ups in relation to multiple risk factor syndrome including obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and impaired glucose tolerance, and to clarify the involvement of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) and beta(3)-adrenergic receptor (beta3-AR) gene polymorphisms in elevation of liver enzymes. One hundred forty-eight male workers 35 years of age were enrolled. They were requested to answer questionnaires about drinking and smoking habits, and underwent urinalysis, physical and peripheral blood examinations, blood chemistry, electrocardiogram and chest x-rays. The genotypes of ALDH2 and beta3-AR were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The subjects were divided into active ALDH2 or inactive ALDH2 groups. They were also divided into 2 groups according to the beta3-AR genotype. The relationships between ALDH2 and beta3-AR gene polymorphism and the results of the physical examination including liver function tests were analyzed. The subjects were also divided according to the number of components of metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level increased with the accumulation of components of metabolic syndrome. Active ALDH2 was associated with elevated ALT level to a greater degree than beta3-AR polymorphism. Among those with normal body mass index (BMI), the genotypes of ALDH2 and beta3-AR were strongly associated with elevated ALT level. Logistic regression analysis revealed that BMI, triglyceride level, and ALDH2 genotype were associated with ALT elevation. In conclusion, evaluating the genotype of ALDH2 and beta3-AR may assist in predicting and preventing the development of fatty liver which may be related to multiple risk factor syndrome.
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PMID:Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and beta3-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphisms: their association with elevated liver enzymes and metabolic syndrome. 1450 13

We describe a treatment made with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) plus ribavirin of two patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV): case # 1 was a 22-yr-old woman with leg and facial edema, hypertension and proteinuria, whose liver biopsy revealed chronic active hepatitis; and case # 2 was a 42-yr-old man with anasarca, hypertension and proteinuria, whose liver biopsy indicated cirrhosis. Both had anti-HCV, HCV-RNA and cryoglobulins. IFN-alpha (3 million units (MU), 3 times/week) and ribavirin (1 g/day) were administered for 12 months. The drugs were well tolerated by both patients. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels normalized and HCV-RNA became negative. Cryoglobulins disappeared and an improvement in renal disease was seen after 6 months of therapy. However, after 9 months, case # 2 presented ALT elevation, and proteinuria was detected. Two years after the end of therapy, both patients were negative in repeated HCV-RNA and cryoglobulin tests. Case # 1 was asymptomatic, with normal liver and renal tests, and case # 2 had normal blood pressure, with mild edema of the ankles. Based on the evolution of these two cases, the association of IFN-alpha and ribavirin may be a therapeutic option for patients with MPGN related to HCV.
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PMID:Therapy with interferon-alpha plus ribavirin for membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis induced by hepatitis C virus. 1455 46

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a relatively common skin and oral disease that manifests as a mucous reaction to a variety of etiologic factors, including autoimmune disease, drug reaction, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, hepatitis C virus (HCV), urolithiasis, psychogenic factors, and bacterial infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between HCV infection and OLP as there is a high prevalence of HCV infection in Taiwan. A total of 1,075 subjects aged at least 15 years participated in the study. The total prevalence of OLP was 3% (32/1,075). OLP was significantly associated with DM (odds ratio, OR, 3.09) and HCV (OR, 2.05). Atrophic-erosive OLP (13/32) and reticular OLP (21/32) were significantly associated with HCV and DM, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) significantly increased the risk of atrophic-erosive OLP. We concluded that OLP is significantly associated with HCV and DM in southern Taiwan, particularly in HCV patients with elevated serum ALT levels and atrophic-erosive OLP.
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PMID:Relationship of oral lichen planus to hepatitis C virus in southern Taiwan. 1519 Dec 16

We examined the association of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) with features of the metabolic syndrome and whether it predicted incident diabetes independently of routinely measured factors in 5,974 men in the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study. A total of 139 men developed new diabetes over 4.9 years of follow-up. ALT, but not aspartate aminotransferase, levels increased progressively with the increasing number of metabolic syndrome abnormalities from (means +/- SD) 20.9 +/- 7.6 units/l in those with none to 28.1 +/- 10.1 units/l in those with four or more (P < 0.001). In a univariate analysis, men with ALT in the top quartile (ALT >/=29 units/l) had an elevated risk for diabetes (hazard ratio 3.38 [95% CI 1.99-5.73]) versus those in the bottom quartile (<17 units/l). ALT remained a predictor with adjustment for age, BMI, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, glucose, and alcohol intake (2.04 [1.16-3.58] for the fourth versus first quartile). In stepwise regression, incorporating ALT and C-reactive protein (CRP) together with metabolic syndrome criteria, elevated ALT (>/=29 units/l), and CRP (>/=3 mg/l) predicted incident diabetes, but low HDL cholesterol and hypertension did not. Thus, elevated ALT levels within the "normal" range predict incident diabetes. The simplicity of ALT measurement and its availability in routine clinical practice suggest that this enzyme activity could be included in future diabetes prediction algorithms.
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PMID:Elevated alanine aminotransferase predicts new-onset type 2 diabetes independently of classical risk factors, metabolic syndrome, and C-reactive protein in the west of Scotland coronary prevention study. 1550 65

Using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (United States, 1988-1994), we compared clinical phenotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-seropositive and seronegative adults aged 20-89 years with hyperglycemia (impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or type 2 diabetes, n=3566 including 86 with HCV). Seroprevalence was higher among younger persons (3.4% for ages 20-59 versus 0.9% for ages 60-89, p=0.002), while traditional correlates of diabetes (hypertension, coronary heart disease) were more prevalent among older persons (both comparisons, p<0.0001). To prevent confounding by age, younger and older persons were analyzed separately. In both age groups, HCV was associated with signs of hepatic impairment and B-cell clonal expansion (higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and serum globulin, lower total cholesterol and platelet count). Only among younger persons, however, was HCV also associated with a marker for advanced hepatic fibrosis (elevated serum ferritin) and absence of the classical diabetic phenotype (overweight, coronary heart disease). In addition, among younger persons, HCV was currently associated with family history of diabetes, positively in persons with diabetes and inversely in those with IFG, suggesting that family history of diabetes may serve as a cofactor for progression from HCV-associated IFG to diabetes.
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PMID:Hyperglycemia among persons with hepatitis C: not the classical diabetic phenotype. 1661 68

Previous studies have suggested that hyperinsulinaemia and other components of metabolic syndrome are risk factors for clinical prostate cancer. This prospective study tested the hypothesis that hyperinsulinaemia and other components of metabolic syndrome are risk factors for lethal clinical prostate cancer. The clinical, haemodynamic, anthropometric, metabolic and insulin profile at baseline in men who had died from clinical prostate cancer during follow-up was compared with the profile of men who were still alive at follow-up. If the hypothesis is true, men with an unfavourable prognosis would have a higher profile at baseline than those with a favourable prognosis. A total of 320 patients in whom clinical prostate cancer, stages T2-3, had been diagnosed were consecutively included in the study during 1995-2003. Height, body weight, waist measurement, hip measurement and blood pressure were determined. Body mass index and waist/hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. Blood samples were collected to determine triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase and fasting plasma insulin level. The prostate gland volume was measured using transrectal ultrasound. The annual benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) growth rate was calculated. The diagnosis of prostate cancer was established using transrectal ultrasound-guided automatic needle biopsy of the prostate gland. All patients with clinical prostate cancer were followed up until their death or until the study was terminated on 31 December 2003. At follow-up, 54 patients had died from prostate cancer and 219 were still alive. The results showed that the men who died of clinical prostate cancer during the follow-up period were older (P < 0.001), had a larger prostate gland volume (P < 0.001), a faster BPH growth rate (P < 0.001), a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes (P < 0.035) and treated hypertension (P < 0.023), a higher stage (P < 0.001) and grade (P = 0.028) of clinical prostate cancer, a higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (P < 0.001) and a higher PSA density (P < 0.001) at baseline than men still alive with clinical prostate cancer at follow-up. These men also had a lower HDL-cholesterol level (P = 0.027), a higher fasting plasma insulin level (P = 0.004), a higher WHR (P = 0.097) of borderline significance and a higher uric acid level (P = 0.079) of borderline significance. Eliminating the effect on mortality of higher stage and grade of the clinical prostate cancer and PSA at baseline, the following statistically significant correlations remained: a higher fasting plasma insulin level (P = 0.010) and a lower HDL-cholesterol level of borderline significance (P = 0.065). In conclusion, hyperinsulinaemia and five other previously established components of metabolic syndrome are shown to be prospective risk factors for deaths that can be ascribed to prostate cancer. These findings confirm previous study, which indicate that prostate cancer is a component of metabolic syndrome. Moreover, these data indicate that hyperinsulinaemia and other metabolic disorders precede deaths caused by prostate cancer. Thus, our data support the hypothesis that hyperinsulinaemia is a promoter of clinical prostate cancer. Furthermore, our data suggest that the insulin level could be used as a marker of prostate cancer prognosis and tumour aggressiveness, regardless of the patient's prostate cancer stage, cancer grade and PSA level.
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PMID:Hyperinsulinaemia: a prospective risk factor for lethal clinical prostate cancer. 1624 13

Childhood obesity is associated with a constellation of metabolic derangements including glucose intolerance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, referred to as metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate genetic and environmental factors contributing to the metabolic syndrome in Hispanic children. Metabolic syndrome, defined as having three or more metabolic risk components, was determined in 1030 Hispanic children, ages 4-19 y, from 319 families enrolled in the VIVA LA FAMILIA study. Anthropometry, body composition by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, clinical signs, and serum biochemistries were measured using standard techniques. Risk factor analysis and quantitative genetic analysis were performed. Of the overweight children, 20%, or 28% if abnormal liver function is included in the definition, presented with the metabolic syndrome. Odds ratios for the metabolic syndrome were significantly increased by body mass index z-score and fasting serum insulin; independent effects of sex, age, puberty, and body composition were not seen. Heritabilities +/- SE for waist circumference, triglycerides (TG), HDL, systolic blood pressure (SBP), glucose, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were highly significant. Pleiotropy (a common set of genes affecting two traits) detected between SBP and waist circumference, SBP and glucose, HDL and waist circumference, ALT and waist circumference, and TG and ALT may underlie the clustering of the components of the metabolic syndrome. Significant heritabilities and pleiotropy seen for the components of the metabolic syndrome indicate a strong genetic contribution to the metabolic syndrome in overweight Hispanic children.
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PMID:Quantitative genetic analysis of the metabolic syndrome in Hispanic children. 1630 1


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