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Query: UMLS:C0023890 (
cirrhosis
)
42,195
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Biliary fibrosis
and resultant
cirrhosis
are among the most common outcomes of chronic liver diseases. Currently, liver transplantation remains the only effective treatment. In seeking alternative therapeutic approaches, we focused on the potential use of the human amniotic membrane (AM). Indeed, AM has gained increasing importance for its antiscarring, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties, as well as for the multipotent differentiation ability and immunomodulatory features of AM-derived cells. Intriguingly, we have recently demonstrated that placenta-derived cells reduce lung fibrosis in bleomycin-treated mice, and that AM patches reduce postischemic cardiac injury in rats. Hence, we have now investigated the effects of human AM on biliary fibrosis induced in rats through the bile duct ligation (BDL) procedure. A fragment of human AM was applied onto the liver surface after BDL and the effects on fibrosis establishment and progression were evaluated at different time points in comparison with fibrosis progression in control BDL rats. The degree of liver fibrosis was first assessed by the semiquantitative Knodell scoring system and, thereafter, by digital image morphometric analysis to quantify the area occupied by ductular reaction, activated myofibroblasts, and collagen deposition. We demonstrated a significant reduction in the severity of BDL-induced fibrosis in AM-treated rats. Indeed, while fibrosis progressed rapidly in control BDL rats, leading to
cirrhosis
within 6 weeks, AM-treated rats showed confined fibrosis at the portal/periportal area with no signs of
cirrhosis
, and a reduction in collagen deposition to about 50% of levels observed in control BDL rats. In addition, the AM was able to significantly slow the gradual progression of the ductular reaction and reduce, at all time points, the area occupied by activated myofibroblasts. These findings suggest that human AM, when applied as a patch onto the liver surface, might inhibit fibrosis progression in BDL-injured livers, and could protect against hepatic damage associated with fibrotic degeneration.
...
PMID:Amniotic membrane application reduces liver fibrosis in a bile duct ligation rat model. 2071 87
Liver disease in cystic fibrosis has many causes, with biliary fibrosis due to abnormal CFTR protein predominating. Assessment requires aetiology to be defined.
Biliary fibrosis
may progress to
cirrhosis
and portal hypertension, which although initially asymptomatic, may cause varices and splenomegaly. Monitoring progression includes clinical and ultrasound assessment with endoscopic assessment of varices for those at risk. Extrapolated primarily from longitudinal assessment of viral hepatitis in adults, non-invasive elastography has a potential role. Evidence is lacking to support intervention strategies, but ursodeoxycholic acid and ligation of varices are widely applied. Indication and timing of liver transplantation are not clearly defined. Multidisciplinary approach is needed to tailor assessment and guide management.
...
PMID:Assessment of liver disease in cystic fibrosis. 2993 97
Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a clinical syndrome in patients with
liver cirrhosis
characterized by blunted cardiac contractile responses to stress and/or heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation. Caveolin-3 (Cav-3) plays a critical role in cardiac protection and is an emerging therapeutic target for heart disease. We investigated the protective role of cardiac-specific overexpression (OE) of Cav-3 in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
Biliary fibrosis
was induced in male Cav-3 OE mice and transgene negative (TG
neg
) littermates by feeding a diet containing 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC; 0.1%) for 3 wk. Liver pathology and blood chemistries were assessed, and stress echocardiography, telemetry, and isolated heart perfusion studies to assess adrenergic responsiveness were performed. Cav-3 OE mice showed a similar degree of hyperdynamic contractility, pulmonary hypertension, and QTc interval prolongation as TG
neg
mice after 3 wk of DDC diet. Blunted systolic responses were shown in both DDC-fed Cav-3 OE and TG
neg
hearts after in vivo isoproterenol challenge. However, QTc interval prolongation after in vivo isoproterenol challenge was significantly less in DDC-fed Cav-3 OE hearts compared with DDC-fed TG
neg
hearts. In ex vivo perfused hearts, where circulatory factors are absent, isoproterenol challenge showed hearts from DDC-fed Cav-3 OE mice had better cardiac contractility and relaxation compared with DDC-fed TG
neg
hearts. Although Cav-3 OE in the heart did not prevent cardiac alterations in DDC-induced biliary fibrosis, cardiac expression of Cav-3 reduced QTc interval prolongation after adrenergic stimulation in
cirrhosis
.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
Prevalence of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is up to 50% in cirrhotic patients, and liver transplantation is the only treatment. However, cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is associated with perioperative morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation; therefore, management of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is crucial for successful liver transplantation. This study shows cardiac myocyte specific overexpression of caveolin-3 (Cav-3) provides better cardiac contractile responses and less corrected QT prolongation during adrenergic stress in a cirrhotic cardiomyopathy model, suggesting beneficial effects of Cav-3 expression in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
...
PMID:Protective role of cardiac-specific overexpression of caveolin-3 in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. 3196 20
