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

Neopterin is a pyrazino-pyrimidine compound which is biosynthesized by macrophages. Increased concentrations of neopterin have been reported in conditions causing stimulation of cellular immunity, such as viral and other infections, graft versus host disease, autoimmune diseases and different malignancies. Recently, increased urinary neopterin levels have been found in patients with acute viral hepatitis and NANB chronic hepatitis. In the present study, neopterin serum levels were measured in 23 cirrhotic patients (6 HBV related, 7 alcoholic and 10 cryptogenetic cirrhosis) and in 24 normal subjects. Mean values of serum neopterin were statistically increased in cirrhotics (3.92 +/- 3.28 ng/mL versus 1.24 +/- 0.51 ng/mL in controls, p less than 0.01). Serum neopterin values were not statistically different either in cirrhotics assessed in three different classes according to Child's classification or in cirrhotics with or without serological findings of active disease. In fact, in cirrhotic patients, serum neopterin levels did not correlate with serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase and gammaglobulins values. These data show that increased levels of serum neopterin occur in cirrhotic patients, but there is no relation between serum neopterin values and the histological activity or the clinical severity of the disease. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that activated macrophages are involved in all forms and in all stages of liver cirrhosis.
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PMID:[Blood levels of neopterin in patients with liver cirrhosis]. 248 6

Fischer F344 rats were given a cyclical diet of 0.06% 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF), which progressively induced oval cell proliferation, cirrhosis and hyperplastic (or neoplastic) nodules. Primary liver tumours developed from 7 months after ceasing the diet. Liver samples taken during and after AAF administration and specimens of primary tumours were processed into frozen sections and examined microscopically for morphological changes in cell populations, stained histochemically for gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTase) and four phosphatases, and stained by the immunoperoxidase technique for the presence of antigens detected by seven anti-liver cell monoclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies to six oncoproteins. During and after AAF treatment several of the anti-liver antibodies revealed foci of aberrantly or heterogeneously-stained cells, although anti-oncoprotein antibodies showed no consistent changes. Foci of cells positive for GGTase and heterogeneous for adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) were also seen. Nodules invariably showed heterogeneous antigenicity, raised GGTase and abnormal ATPase expression. Primary tumours exhibited varying degrees of positivity, negativity and heterogeneity with the anti-liver monoclonal antibodies, and all were positive for GGTase. Comparison between various parameters and different lesions showed the greatest concordance between nodules and tumours, suggesting that nodules are probably the precursors of malignant tumours in this system.
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PMID:Heterogeneity of hepatocyte antigen expression in rat liver carcinogenesis: concordance between neoplastic nodules and tumours. 253 34

The efficacy of silymarin treatment in preventing biochemical and histological alterations in CCL4-induced liver cirrhosis in rats was studied. Four groups of rats were treated with: (1) CCL4; (2) mineral oil; (3) CCL4 + silymarin; and (4) silymarin. All animals were sacrificed 72 h after the end of treatments. The activities of alkaline phosphatase (alk. phosp.), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), and bilirubin content were determined in serum. Na+, K+-ATPase and Ca++-ATPase activities were measured in isolated plasma membranes. Lipoperoxidation, triglycerides (TG), and glycogen contents were also measured in liver homogenates. Liver cirrhosis was evidenced by significant increases in liver collagen, lipoperoxidation, serum activities of alk. phosp., GGTP, GPT, G6Pase, bilirubin content, and liver TG. Activities of ATPases determined in plasma membranes were significantly reduced, as was liver glycogen content. Silymarin cotreatment (50 mg/kg b.wt) completely prevented all the changes observed in CCL4-cirrhotic rats, except for liver collagen content which was reduced only 30% as compared to CCL4-cirrhotic rats. Silymarin protection can be attributed to the agent's antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing actions.
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PMID:Prevention of CCL4-induced liver cirrhosis by silymarin. 254 40

In order to investigate the reason for the elevation of serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) after chronic alcohol consumption, the activity of this enzyme, together with the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase in serum (parameters of liver cell damage) and the excretion of D-glucaric acid (D-GA) in urine (parameter of microsomal enzymatic induction) were determined in 72 chronic alcoholics. Of these, 32 had no significant liver disease (1st group) and 40 had an overt liver disease varying from fatty liver to liver cirrhosis (2nd group). The GGT was elevated in only 62% of the patients of the first group, but in 95% of the second group. Of the latter group, patients with cirrhosis had significantly higher GGT mean levels than the patients with fatty liver. On the other hand, increased D-GA excretion was only found in 23% of the group 1 patients and in 44% of the group 2 patients. Moreover, in all patients there was a significant correlation between the values of GGT and aspartate aminotransferase, but not between GGT and D-GA. From these results, the GGT increase in chronic alcoholics, would seem to be better related to cellular damage than to enzymatic induction assessed on the basis of D-GA urinary excretion.
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PMID:Abnormal serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase in alcoholics. Clues to its explanation. 256 72

The authors report 24 cases of diffuse nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver (DNRH) seen in a General Hospital during the last 9 years (prevalence: 3'1/100,000, incidence: 0'34/100,000). DNRH was diagnosed in 0.52% of the liver biopsies and 0.72 of the autopsies. These results suggest that DNHR is probably more frequent than suspected, and 1 DNRH was seen for each 39 biopsied cases of liver cirrhosis. Fourteen patients did not have hepatic symptoms. Portal hypertension was present in 9 cases. The biochemical disturbance most frequently found was a moderate elevation of GGT and APh, associated with slight elevation of SGOT, SGPT and bilirubin levels. Normal liver function tests could be seen (3 cases). Previous exposure to potentially hepatotoxic drugs or chemicals was discovered in 15 cases (62.5%). Diseases associated were circulatory disturbances (6 cases), autoimmune disease (5 cases), hemopathies (5 cases), and visceral carcinomas (4 cases). Two patients were recipients of renal transplant. Nodules distributed through the whole liver tissue were found in 16 cases, while 8 patients showed areas of normal parenchyma in their livers. Impairment of small hepatic vessels was detected in 16 cases. Some uneven cytologic findings were discovered: clusters of small basophilic cells (4 cases), large clear cells (8 cases), and dysplastic hepatocytes (10 cases), which suggests that DNRH could be a preneoplastic condition.
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PMID:Diffuse nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver (DNRH). A clinicopathologic study of 24 cases. 258 40

Neopterin is a pyrazino-pyrimidine compound which is biosynthesized by macrophages. Increased concentrations of neopterin have been reported in conditions causing a stimulation of cellular immunity, such as viral and other infections, graft versus host disease, autoimmune disease and different malignancies. Recently, urinary neopterin levels have been found increased in patients with acute viral hepatitis and NANB chronic hepatitis. In the present study, neopterin serum levels have been measured in 23 cirrhotic patients (6 HBV related, and 17 cryptogenetic cirrhosis, 7 of them occurring in alcoholic subjects) and in 24 normal subjects. Mean values of serum neopterin were significantly increased in cirrhotics (3.92 +/- 3.28 ng/ml versus 1.24 +/- 0.51 ng/ml in controls, p less than 0.01). Serum neopterin values were not found to be significantly different in cirrhotics assessed in three different clinical classes according to Child's classification and in cirrhotics with and without serological findings of active disease. In fact, in cirrhotic patients, serum neopterin levels did not correlate with the values of serum AST, ALT, ALP, GGT and gamma-globulin. These data show that increased levels of serum neopterin occur in cirrhotic patients, but there is no relation between serum neopterin values and the activity or the clinical severity of the disease. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that activated macrophages are involved in all stages of liver cirrhosis irrespective of its aetiology.
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PMID:Serum neopterin levels in liver cirrhosis. 263 48

Purpose of this study was to elucidate the difference in severity of alcoholic liver diseases (ALD), especially of alcoholic hepatitis (AH) between female and male. We have experienced 15 female and 113 male patients with ALD laparoscopically and histologically proved during the past 10 years. In female patients, histological analysis revealed 8 cases of cirrhosis, 2 each cases of AH, fibrosis and chronic hepatitis, and 1 case of fatty liver. Occurrence of AH in female (13%) was significantly higher than male in which AH was seen in 3 cases (3%) (p less than 0.05). Duration of alcoholic abuse in female AH patients was shorter than male AH patients (5.5 +/- 0.5 years vs 24.0 +/- 2.9 years). Total alcohol consumed in female AH patients was less than male AH patients (256 +/- 52 kg vs 1560 +/- 703 kg). Abnormality in liver function tests including hepaplastin test, serum bilirubin, transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, immunoglobulins was outstanding in female patients compared with male patients. Histological findings such as hepatocellular ballooning, neutrophilic infiltration, fatty change and wiremesh fibrosis were intensive in female patients compared with male patients. In conclusion, there were much more severe ALD like AH or cirrhosis in female than male patients. In female AH patients duration of alcoholic abuse was shorter and total alcohol consumed was less than male AH patients. And it was suggested that female AH is clinically and pathologically getting severe compared with male AH.
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PMID:[Sex difference in alcoholic liver disease: with special reference to the severity of alcoholic hepatitis]. 280 7

Using a monoclonal antibody to bromodeoxyuridine, we studied the cell kinetics of human hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis and alcoholic liver fibrosis. Specimens were taken either by biopsy or surgery and immediately incubated with 0.1% bromodeoxyuridine solution at 37 degrees C for 45 min. After in vitro labeling, the bromodeoxyuridine taken up by the nuclei of S-phase cells was determined by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method, using an anti-bromodeoxyuridine monoclonal antibody as the first antibody. The number of positive nuclei in 1,000 hepatic cells was counted, and the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index was expressed per thousand. The mean bromodeoxyuridine labeling index +/- S.D. of the cancerous portion of hepatocellular carcinoma, the noncancerous portion of hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis and alcoholic liver fibrosis were 64.1 +/- 31.3, 33.6 +/- 14.4, 23.2 +/- 20.8, 9.1 +/- 6.1 and 21.6 +/- 13.0, respectively. The mean bromodeoxyuridine labeling index of the hepatocellular carcinoma cancerous portion was statistically higher than that of any other group. There was no statistical difference by the t test or the Wilcoxon test between the noncancerous portion of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis, and these two groups were proved interdependent by chi 2 test (Fisher's exact test), whether they were subdivided by bromodeoxyuridine labeling index greater than or equal to 10 or not. Bromodeoxyuridine labeling index was not significantly correlated with the usual biochemical parameters such as serum AST, ALT, gamma-GTP, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, cholinesterase, albumin, and alpha-fetoprotein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:S-phase cells in diseased human liver determined by an in vitro BrdU-anti-BrdU method. 284 68

The liver is the main organ for alcohol metabolism and is therefore predisposed for various functional changes and irreversible alterations. The alcoholic fatty liver represents the early stage of alcohol-induced liver diseases and is completely reversible upon consequent alcohol abstinence. Already at this early stage a significant increase of gamma-glutamyltransferase activities is commonly found in the serum, which can mainly be attributed to an enzyme induction in the endoplasmic reticulum of the liver cell. Other stages of alcohol-induced liver diseases include the alcoholic hepatitis and the liver cirrhosis, which have a better prognosis upon consequent alcohol abstinence compared to continuous alcohol consumption. Many therapeutic studies with various drugs have been carried out in patients with alcohol-induced liver diseases, but at present a treatment with drugs in a sufficiently great number of patients has not been firmly established. The most important medical goal is to establish the diagnosis of alcohol-induced liver diseases already at the early stage of the fatty liver in order to initiate the necessary therapeutic measures with the aim of a consequent alcohol abstinence.
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PMID:[The liver and alcohol]. 285 Jun 81

Standard biochemical liver function tests and the clearances of antipyrine and indocyanine green have been compared in psoriatic patients taking methotrexate, psoriatic patients on topical treatment, patient controls and patients with hepatic cirrhosis. The methotrexate-treated patients showed significant elevations in alkaline phosphatase (p less than 0.025) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase activities (p less than 0.05) compared to topically treated psoriatics and patient controls. The clearance of antipyrine was reduced in the methotrexate treated group but not significantly (p less than 0.1 greater than 0.05). In contradistinction, the weight-adjusted clearance of indocyanine green was significantly impaired in the methotrexate group in comparison with the topically treated psoriatics (p less than 0.01). The clearance of both antipyrine and indocyanine green were markedly lowered in the cirrhotics (p less than 0.001 against all other groups). These data suggest that the serial measurement of alkaline phosphatase and indocyanine green clearance may provide a non-invasive indicator of the development and progression of methotrexate-related liver injury.
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PMID:Hepatic metabolic function in patients receiving long-term methotrexate therapy: comparison with topically treated psoriatics, patient controls and cirrhotics. 286 99


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