UMLS:C0023890 - FACTA Search

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)

The chronic alcoholic patient is usually immunosuppressed, but the significance of this phenomenon in terms of bile duct injury is unclear. The immunoreactivity of the bile duct cells was examined in a series of 69 frozen liver biopsy specimens obtained from patients with alcoholic liver disease, comprising 29 cases of cirrhosis, 26 of alcoholic hepatitis, 10 cases of alcoholic fatty liver, and 4 specimens from normal livers. Liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis and human hepatic allograft rejection, known to have an autoimmune basis, share the characteristic feature of damage to the bile duct epithelial cells. In both instances the damage seems to be immune mediated, but the nature of the antigens involved is not established. We used the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method to test in alcoholic liver disease for the expression of a battery of surface antigen markers that have been incriminated in tissue injury and are usually present in lymphoid cells but also expressed by epithelium. In this study we investigated the expression of the following molecules: HLA class I (ABC) and class II (HLA-DR, HLA-DP, HLA-DQ), CD29, CD45RA, CD45RO, CD56, interleukin 1 (IL-I), IL-2, IL-4, interferon (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor beta, and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1). The bile duct epithelial cells strongly expressed HLA-ABC in all cases, CD56 in 47 of 55, IL-4 in 15 of 41, TGF-beta1 in 14 of 25, and CD29 in 4 of 25 cases. The other markers including IFN-gamma, HLA-DR, HLA-DP, and HLA-DQ were not expressed by bile duct cells. The expression of HLA class I agrees with previous observations while the absence of class II expression does not. The expression by the bile duct epithelium of CD56 confirms our own previous report. A new observation is the finding of molecules such as IL-4, TGF-beta1, and CD29 strongly expressed in the bile ducts cells. The presence of these molecules, taken together with the lack of IFN-gamma expression, contradicts previous speculations that attributed to IFN-gamma a role in the induction of major histocompatibility antigens and adhesion molecules in immune-mediated alcoholic liver disease.
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PMID:The antigenic heterogeneity of the bile duct epithelium in alcoholic liver disease. VA Cooperative Study Group 275. 1023 99

Schistosomiasis has been suggested to decrease the reproductive potential or castrate both invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. Furthermore, schistosomiasis may cause anatomic anomalies of the reproductive organs responsible for permanent or reversible infertility. To specify the effect of schistosomiasis on gonadal functions, production of testosterone (TS), leutinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2) in Egyptian men infected with schistosomiasis were studied. All participants were tested for the following parameters: Clinical examination and diagnostic, semen, haematological and liver function tests and blood level of IL-2. The mean TS levels were at the lowest limit of normal range for liver cirrhotic patients. Mean E2 levels were increased in all patients, but patients with liver cirrhosis-related schistosomiasis had higher E2 levels. Linear regression analysis showed that the sex hormone levels correlated best with the patient's liver function parameters. The present data suggest that a sex hormone imbalance plays a role in patients with liver cirrhosis due to the inhibitory effects of schistosomiasis on gonadal functions.
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PMID:Possible role of Schistosoma mansoni infection in male hypogonadism. 1060 85

Cytokines are a group of proteins with autocrine, paracrine and endocrine activities which provide communication among hepatic cells and other cells and tissues of the man. Active in minute quantities, the cytokines activate and regulate homeostasis and cellular repair through effects on cell growth, differentiation and receptor expression and cell-mediated immunity. Cytokines--IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8 IL-10, IL-12, TNF-alfa, PDGF and others, modulate liver metabolism in health and disease, physiological and pathologic liver functions and the evolution of liver inflammation and injury to hepatic fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. Data concerning the use of a recombinant form of Interleukin-10 and Interleukin-12 in the treatment of chronic liver disease (chronic viral hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease) and cell-mediated immunity regulation are widely discussed in the review.
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PMID:[Cytokines and the liver in health and disease]. 1119 92

The mechanism by which Hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is not known exactly. HCV related HCC occurs frequency in the patients with cirrhosis. There have been reports indicating that Th2-type cytokines down-regulated antitumor immunity, and the activation of type 1 T cell responses produced antitumor immunity. We thought Th1/Th2 imbalance in HCV-related liver cirrhosis might be closely related to the development of HCC. In this study, therefore, we investigated the Th1/Th2 balance at the single lymphocyte level of the patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis and compared with normal controls by using flow cytometry. Th1-type cytokines(IFN-gamma, IL-2) production was significantly decreased in patients with cirrhosis, whereas Th2-type cytokine production(IL-10) was increased. These suggest Th1/Th2 imbalance in HCV-related cirrhosis would decrease the antitumor immunity and its improvement might present the protective effect from HCC.
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PMID:[Th1/Th2 imbalance in HCV-related liver cirrhosis]. 1149 34

Although several mouse models of AIH have been described, no model is ideal. Indeed, the disease is self-limited in each model, and none is associated with significant liver fibrosis or progression to cirrhosis. Nevertheless, these models should be useful for testing different hypotheses regarding the initiation of AIH. Still, each model poses unique limitations. The EAIH model initiated by immunization with crude liver antigens in CFA has been plagued by a high prevalence of hepatitis lesions in CFA controls and inconsistencies in results. The TGF beta-1 and IL-2 deficient models lead to high in utero mortality and short median life spans in the surviving animals. Lastly, all models require more detailed characterization of the antigen specificity of infiltrating liver T cells and the pathogenesis of liver cell injury.
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PMID:Animal models of autoimmunity. 1236 80

Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related-liver cirrhosis (LC) often develop hepatoma. The type 1 helper T cell (Th1) response presents an antitumor effect. We evaluated the Th1 response in patients with HCV-related LC at the single-cell level and examined the influence of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, an immunosuppressive cytokine, on the Th1 response. We determined the ratios of Th1-type cytokine (IFN-gamma, IL-2)-producing cells to CD3-positive cells in 14 patients (LC group) and in 16 normal controls using flow cytometry and measured serum TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(2) levels by ELISA. We then incubated, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from seven healthy volunteers with recombinant TGF-beta(1) or TGF-beta(2) for 48 h, and determined the ratio of IFN-gamma producing cells to CD3-positive cells. The IFN-gamma ratio was significantly lower in the LC group (29.7+/-0.3 vs. 44.2+/-15.0%, P<0.01). The serum TGF-beta(2) level was significantly increased in the LC group (601+/-232 vs. 329+/-118 pg/ml, P<0.001). TGF-beta(2) significantly suppressed IFN-gamma production at the single-cell level (10.0+/-4.3 vs. 7.3+/-2.0%, P<0.05). These findings indicated that the enhanced down-regulation of Th1 by TGF-beta(2) in patients with HCV-related LC might be effective against hepatoma.
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PMID:Th1 down-regulation at the single-lymphocyte level in HCV-related liver cirrhosis and the effect of TGF-beta on Th1 response: possible implications for the development of hepatoma. 1239 30

Alterations of cytokine responses are thought to favor the establishment of persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, enhancing the risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Expression of the HCV core (C) protein modulates transcription of the IL-2 promoter in T lymphocytes by activating the nuclear factor of activated T lymphocyte (NFAT) pathway. Here we report on the effect of HCV C on Ca2+ signaling, which is essential for activation of NFAT. Expression of HCV C correlated with increased levels of cytosolic Ca2+ and spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in transfected Jurkat cells. Triggering of the T-cell receptor induced a prolonged Ca2+ response characterized by vigorous high frequent oscillations in a high proportion of the responding cells. This was associated with decreased sizes and accelerated emptying of the intracellular calcium stores. The effect of HCV C on calcium mobilization was not dependent on phospholipase C-gamma 1 (PLC-gamma) activity or increased inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) production and did not require functional IP3 receptors, suggesting that insertion of the viral protein in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane may be sufficient to promote Ca2+ leakage with dramatic downstream consequences on the magnitude and duration of the response. Our data suggest that expression of HCV C in infected T lymphocytes may contribute to the establishment of persistent infections by inducing Ca2+ oscillations that regulate both the efficacy and information content of Ca2+ signals and are ultimately responsible for induction of gene expression and functional differentiation.
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PMID:The hepatitis C virus core protein modulates T cell responses by inducing spontaneous and altering T-cell receptor-triggered Ca2+ oscillations. 1263 62

Hepatitis B (HB) in haemodialysis patients results in morbidity and mortality, through chronicity, which leads to cirrhosis and liver carcinoma, even after renal transplantation. Hepatitis B vaccination is protective against HB virus infection. Suppressed immunity in renal failure leads to low HB vaccination success rates. Uremia, inadequate dialysis, use of low biocompatibility dialysis material, hyperparathyroidism, anemia, iron overload and malnutrition are all factors contributing to depressed immunity. Renal failure, associated with chronic inflammation, leads to impaired monokine production which results in decreased immunity. This impairment could result from defective HLA-DR B7-2 expression on monocytes. Hepatitis B vaccination non-responders express increased levels of HLA class II alleles (T-cell immune response modulators) DRB1 01 (DR1) and DRB1 15 (DR15). Various methods have been used to enhance the immune response to HB vaccination such as recombinant adjuvants, thymopentine, IL-2, levamisole and GM-CSF: they have produced variable results. Better dialysis biocompatibility and adequacy have also been conducted to overcome this low immune response. Response to conventional intramuscular HB vaccination is considered an index of adequate dialysis and low inflammatory state, both associated with better cardiovascular outcome and survival. HB vaccination reinforcement techniques evolved from an initial intramuscular double/multiple-dosing regimen to more frequent intradermal smaller dose injection. This newer regimen achieves a higher and almost complete seroconversion rate, although frequent boosters shots are necessary to maintain protective levels. Experience with pre-S1/S2, third generation, vaccines is limited and they have not been proven to be more effective than intradermally administered S antigens. Recombinant HB vaccines, intradermally administered, have been shown to elicit an immune response in all renal failure patients. Additionally the use of recombinant erythropoietin treatment to correct anemia contributes to this success.
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PMID:Recombinant hepatitis B vaccination in renal failure patients. 1267 88

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can cause a broad spectrum diseases, including from asymptomatic HBV carriers or cryptic hepatitis, to acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, Liver cirrhosis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma. The variable pattern and clinical outcome of the infection were mainly determined by virological itself factors, host immunological factors and genetic factors as well as the experimental factors. Among the human genetic factors, major candidate or identified genes involved in the process of HBV infection fall into the following categories: (1) genes that mediate the processes of viral entry into hepatocytes, including genes involved in viral binding, fusion with cellular membrane and transportation in target cells; (2) genes that modulate or control the immune response to HBV infection; (3) genes that participate in the pathological alterations in liver tissue; (4) genes involved in the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma associated with chronic HBV infection, including genes related to mother-to-infant transmission of HBV infection; and (5) those that contribute to resistance to antiviral therapies. Most of the reports of human genes associated with HBV infection have currently focused on HLA associations. For example, some investigators reported the association of the HLA class II alleles such as DRB1*1302 or HLA-DR13 or DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301-DQB1*1102 haplotypes with acute and/or chronic hepatitis B virus infection, respectively. Several pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Th1 cytokines (including IL-2 and IFN-gamma) and TNF-alpha have been identified to participate the process of viral clearance and host immune response to HBV. In contrast, the Th2 cytokine IL-10 serves as a potent inhibitor of Th1 effector cells in HBV diseases. The MBP polymorphisms in its encoding region were found to be involved in chronic infection. Thus, reports from various laboratories have shown some inconsistencies with regard to the effects of host genetic factors on HBV clearance and persistence. Since genetic interactions are complex, it is unlikely that a single allelic variant is responsible for HBV resistance or susceptibility. However, the collective influence of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotype (s) may underlie the natural combinational or synergistic protection against HBV. The future study including the multi-cohort collaboration will be needed to clarify these preliminary associations and identify other potential candidate genes. The ongoing study of the distributions and functions of the implicated allele polymorphisms will not only provide insight into the pathogenesis of HBV infection, but may also provide a novel rationale for new methods of diagnosis and therapeutic strategies.
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PMID:Current status and prospects of studies on human genetic alleles associated with hepatitis B virus infection. 1267 1

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), natural killer (NK) cell activity decreases significantly, and the reduced activity may be associated with the progression of HCC. In this study we evaluated the effects of pulsing with interleukin (IL)-2 and/or IL-12 on the activation of freshly isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) derived from patients with HCC. PBL obtained from 9 HCC patients, 4 liver cirrhosis patients, and 9 normal subjects were cultured in the presence of IL-2 and/or IL-12. After 24 h of incubation, the levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha presented in the supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production of PBL pulsed by a combination of IL-2 and IL-12 was significantly higher than those of PBL stimulated by either IL-2 or IL-12 alone. The mRNA encoding perforin, granzyme B, as well as IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, were markedly enhanced in PBL stimulated with a combination of IL-12 and IL-2. The pulsing procedure of IL-12 in combination with IL-2 resulted in the increase of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, and the expression of perforin and granzyme B mRNA in PBL obtained from HCC patients, as well as in those obtained from normal subjects. These results indicate that adoptive immunotherapy based on PBL pulsed with a combination of IL-2 and IL-12 may be a promising adjunctive strategy for HCC treatment.
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PMID:Effects of pulsing procedure of interleukin-12 in combination with interleukin-2 on the activation of peripheral blood lymphocytes derived from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. 1472 65

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