Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0023890 (cirrhosis)
 42,195 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The metabolism of vitamin B2 was studied in five female patients with liver cirrhosis of varying etiology. Following the oral administration of 40 mg (106.3 mumol) riboflavin, plasma concentrations of riboflavin and flavo-coenzymes as well as urinary riboflavin excretion were analyzed over a period of 48 h. Results were compared to data obtained for healthy controls (Zempleni J. et al, Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 1996 [15]). About 18% of the administered vitamin was recovered from patients' urine, indicating an absorption similar to healthy subjects (p > 0.05). The area under the riboflavin plasma concentration vs time curve was 1.2-fold larger among patients than controls, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Riboflavin peak concentrations in plasma (315.6 nmol/l) and times when those concentrations were achieved (3.0 h) were similar to those found for healthy subjects (p > 0.05). Flavocoenzyme peak plasma concentrations were increased 1.4-fold above their baseline levels in cirrhotics which was equal to controls (p > 0.05). 7 alpha-Hydroxyriboflavin was detected in the plasma of patients. Distribution and elimination kinetics of riboflavin were analyzed by using a two-compartment open model; the riboflavin plasma disposition rate constants of the patients (k alpha = 0.7232 h-1; k beta = 0.0627 h-1) were not different from controls (p > 0.05). No differences between both groups were found regarding renal excretion (renal clearance, first-order rate constants for renal excretion; p > 0.05). In conclusion, patients with liver cirrhosis of varying etiology and varying medical treatment did not show alterations of riboflavin turnover.
 ...
PMID:The metabolism of riboflavin in female patients with liver cirrhosis. 889 58

Early detection of hepatocellular cancer (HCC), makes it surgically resectable with a potential for cure. The test most commonly used to detect HCC is the measurement of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. However, the AFP test is negative in HCC detection in more than 30% of the cases. Riboflavin carrier protein (RCP) is a growth and developmental protein, synthesized and secreted by the liver and hence was of interest to measure its levels in HCC. A prospective double blind evaluation of RCP levels in serum from 93 subjects was undertaken. These included 22 proven cases of HCC, 25 normal controls, 20 cases of alcoholic hepatitis, 20 cirrhotics, and 6 cases of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). RCP was measured by a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay (RIA). RCP was immunohistochemically localized in paraffin sections of liver specimens using standard methods. Mean serum RCP levels in HCC were 21.75+/-14.66ng/ml and were significantly higher (p<0.0001) than those in normal controls (0.73+/-0.25ng/ml), alcoholic hepatitis (1.92+/-0.82ng/ml), PBC (2.16+/-0.74ng/ml), or cirrhosis (5.02+/-1.52ng/ml). Serum RCP levels were elevated in all 22 HCC cases. In contrast serum AFP levels were elevated in 11 of 22 HCC cases. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed positive staining for RCP in liver tumors. We have previously demonstrated elevation of serum RCP levels in breast adenocarcinoma. Our results suggest that serum RCP levels are significantly elevated in HCC also and could potentially serve as a marker for HCC detection under conditions where breast cancer is ruled out. In combination with AFP, serum RCP levels have the potential of serving as a panel of markers for better detection of HCC.
 ...
PMID:Elevation of serum riboflavin carrier protein in hepatocellular carcinoma. 1671 33