Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P17174 (aspartate aminotransferase)
 14,872 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We tested the ability of carnosine to improve some liver disorders induced by Schistosoma mansoni parasite in hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Results indicate that parasitic infestation induced elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase and procollagen III peptide as a marker of liver fibrosis. Administration of carnosine (10 mg/day) for 15 days either concurrent with infection, 2 and 4 weeks post-infestation was effective in reducing differential worm burden. It was also effective in renormalizing blood glucose level depending on the time course. The most evident effect of carnosine was on serum procollagen III peptide level, which was lowered in infested groups treated with carnosine. Histopathological studies confirmed the potential use of carnosine for intervention in schistosomiasis.
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PMID:Effects of carnosine on bilharzial infestation in hamsters: biochemical and histochemical studies. 1195 36

A 7-year-old castrated male Golden Retriever cross was evaluated because of intermittent blood-tinged diarrhea, severe weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy of 2 months' duration; the dog was unresponsive to antimicrobial and standard anthelmintic treatment. Results of fecal flotations for parasite ova were negative. Alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase activities and total protein and globulin conentrations were greater than reference ranges. Biopsy specimens were obtained during laparotomy and examination revealed multiple granulomatous lesions with helminth ova nidi in the intestine, pancreas, liver, and mesenteric lymph node. Saline solution direct smear and saline solution sedimentation of feces yielded trematode ova that were morphologically consistent with Heterobilharzia americana. Identification was confirmed when miracidia were hatched from these ova and produced characteristic cercariae from infected snails. An antigen capture ELISA, typically used for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis in humans, was performed, and schistosome circulating anodic antigen was detected. Treatment with 30 mg of praziquantel/kg (14 mg/lb) of body weight stopped ova shedding, removed detectable circulating antigens, and caused the dog's body weight and attitude to return to normal. Although this is the first report of canine heterobilharziasis in North Carolina, it suggests that heterobilharziasis is underdiagnosed in dogs that have contact with water frequented by raccoons. Inappropriate diagnostic procedures can foil accurate detection of this parasitic disease.
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PMID:Heterobilharzia americana infection in a dog. 1212 29

Liver biopsy is thought mandatory for management in patients with hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) especially for histopathological grading and staging of the disease to assess suitability for treatment and monitoring disease progression. However, tracking of liver disease progression can't rely on repeated biopsies. The study aimed to evaluate two significant items, we try to develop and validate a non-invasive predictive tool to assess hepatic necro-inflammation and fibrosis. Also, to determine factors that associate severity of hepatic pathology in HCV infected Egyptian patients particularly at Sharkia G. The study included 109 patients with detectable HCV by Real Time-PCR. The patients were classified into three different pathological stages and grades according to the new concept of histopathoglical staging and grading. The different clinical, biochemical, virological and ultra-sonographic parameters were assessed and analyzed and the variables that showed significant association with histopathological staging and grading were included in multivariate logistic regression analysis. The regression model revealed that, platelet count, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), portal vein diameter, splenic longitudinal axis, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and viral load were the factors that add significance to the model in decreasing order of significance. From these findings we generate a new score ranged from 0-9. The score model was applied to our patients to assess its validity where it proved to be accurate in discriminating patients with mild inflammation and fibrosis (sensitivity 81.8%, specificity 80.5% and accuracy 80.7%) and more accurate in detecting patients with cirrhosis (specificity 96.6%, sensitivity 80% & accuracy 93.6%) but less accurate in detecting patients with moderate to severe fibrosis (specificity 66.7%, sensitivity 68.7% & accuracy 67.9%). Also the results revealed that, co-infection with schistosomiasis, old age > or = 45 years and positive history of blood transfusion as a source of infection was significantly associated with severe hepatic pathology. It is concluded that, the score model can't completely replace liver biopsy but at least it could be used to substantially reduce the number of liver biopsies done in patients with HCV infection in assessing disease progression during follow up. Also, it can be used to make decisions about treatment in patients who have contraindications to or who refused liver biopsy. Co-infection with schistosomiasis, age > or = 45 and positive history of blood transfusion in patients with HCV warrant special attention with more intensive follow up. These factors may play a major role in forecasting the course of HCV as well as in determining the therapeutic approach in each case.
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PMID:Non-invasive markers and predictors of severity of hepatic fibrosis in HCV patients at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. 1512 53

To investigate whether infection with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) affects fibrosis development in patients infected with Schistosoma mansoni, we evaluated schistosomiasis-induced pathology in the livers of Kenyan patients co-infected with HIV-1. Compared with persons with schistosomiasis alone (n = 58), there were no significant differences in distribution of ultrasound-detectable pathology in persons with HIV-1 co-infection (n = 23). Similarly, serum aspartate aminotransferase levels were not significantly different in HIV-1+ individuals. Hepatic fibrosis was associated with significantly decreased CD4+ T cell counts, even in the absence of HIV-1 infection. These data suggest that HIV-1 co-infection does not significantly alter the proportion of patients experiencing schistosomiasis-induced fibrosis, but pathology associated with S. mansoni infections leads to CD4+ T cell reductions and thereby may exacerbate the effects of HIV-1 in co-infected individuals.
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PMID:Short report: Evaluation of hepatic fibrosis in persons co-infected with Schistosoma mansoni and human immunodeficiency virus 1. 1564 72

The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-schistosomal activity of colostral and mature camel milk on Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Six weeks post infection, mean percentage of protection was detected through the hepatic portal vein. Glutathione-s-transferase (GST), alanine, aspartate transaminase (ALT and AST) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were detected in sera of treated mice before and after infection. Antischistosomal activity of colostral and mature camel milk on Schistosoma mansoni infected mice were 12.81% and 31.60% respectively. The results showed that GST levels in sera of mice fed on colostral and mature camel milk were increased with mean values of 0.070, 0.108, 0.128 and 0.120 in colostral milk groups and 0. 072, 0.085, 0.166 and 0.20 in mature camel milk groups compared with the mice fed on basal diet with means values of 0.070, 0.085, 0.078 and 0.069 before infection and after two, four and six weeks of infection, respectively. On the other hand, there were slight differences on ALT and AST activities. Mice treated with colostral and mature milk (200 microl/day) showed an immunostimulatory effect by inducing IgG titers against soluble worm antigen preparation (SWAP) compared with control. Nevertheless, the difference was not considered significant (0.31 +/- 0.1) for colostrum (0.34 +/- 0.1) and for mature milk, as compared to normal control (0.2 +/- 0.04). Two, four and six weeks post infection, IgG level showed no significant change in sera from mice treated with colostral and mature milk as compared to control. In conclusion, colostral and mature camel milk showed an immuno-modualatory effect in normal healthy mice by inducing IgG and GST levels before and after infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Colostral and mature camel milk have a protective response against schistosomiasis.
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PMID:Anti-schistosomal activity of colostral and mature camel milk on Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. 1632 52

The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective immunity of excretory-secretory products of Fasciola hepatica (FhES) worm against S.mansoni infection in mice. Evaluation of FhES antigen was through measuring worm burden, ova count, granuloma size and frequency as well as the histopathological picture of the liver. The study was extended to determine the level of free radical scavengers; lipid peroxide, glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, vitamin E, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Liver function enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were also taken into consideration. Four groups of eight mice each were selected for this study. Group 1 served as control group. Group 2: normal healthy mice vaccinated with FhES product. Group 3: S.mansoni infected mice for 2 months and group 4: infected mice pre-vaccinated with FhES antigen. Vaccination schedule comprised of a single subcutaneous injection of FhES antigen emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant in a dose 0.5 mg protein/mouse, followed by intraperitoneal injections of the same antigen without adjuvant in 3 doses/week for 3 successive weeks. The total antigen inoculation was 5 mg protein/mouse. The present results revealed a drastic change in all the measured parameters after S.mansoni infection and a noticeable improved level after vaccination with FhES antigen. It can be concluded that FhES antigen succeeded to protect mice against schistosomiasis by a significant reduction in worm burden, ova count, granuloma size and number, improvement in the histopathological architecture of the liver as well as amelioration in the antioxidant levels under investigation.
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PMID:Excretory-secretory product of fasciola hepatica worm protects against Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice. 1687 44

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) exerts a broad range of biologic actions that may include modulation of hepatic granuloma formation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of VIP administration on the course of acute murine schistosomiasis mansoni. Mice were infected each with 40 Schistosoma (S.) mansoni cercariae and injected intraperitoneally with VIP at a total dose of 1mug/kg body weight. VIP treatment was very effective in diminishing worm fecundity, hepatic granuloma size and number by about 54%, 75% and 51%, respectively, and reducing liver collagen content. Serum level of interleukin (IL)-10 was increased, while level of IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were decreased as a result of VIP administration. Carbohydrate antigen 19.9 (CA 19.9) induced by S. mansoni infection was decreased with VIP treatment. Activities of hepatic gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in liver tissue homogenate of infected treated mice were increased. These results indicate that suitable administration of exogenous VIP can be effective in ameliorating immunopathologic damage associated with schistosomiasis.
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PMID:Vasoactive intestinal peptide inhibits liver pathology in acute murine schistosomiasis mansoni and modulates IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-alpha production. 1786 38

In areas where there is a low prevalence of schistosomiasis mansoni, faecal examination is a relatively insensitive method of detection and infected people may also be missed because most show only mild morbidity. In such settings, serology may be a more useful diagnostic tool than microscopy. In the present study, the clinical and biochemical characteristics of individuals who were stool-positive for Schistosoma mansoni eggs were compared with those of individuals, from the same low-prevalence area of Brazil, who were stool-negative but seropositive for the parasite. Overall, 269 subjects were checked both for schistosome eggs in their faeces (using Kato-Katz smears and Lutz sedimentation) and for anti-S. mansoni IgG in their sera (using an ELISA). Although 128 (48%) of these subjects were found seropositive, only 26 (10%) were found to be egg excretors and two of the egg excretors were seronegative. Compared with the seropositive egg-negatives, the egg excretors had significantly higher frequencies of fatigue, melaena, jaundice and swelling of the abdomen. The egg excretors also had higher frequencies of hepatomegaly (20% v. 16%) and splenomegaly (4% v. 1%). In both groups of subjects, mean concentrations of serum proteins and haemoglobin and mean leucocyte counts were in the normal range whereas most blood concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and many of those of aspartate aminotransferase were slightly elevated. Although the egg excretors tended to have low-intensity infections, it seems possible that the seropositive nonexcretors had even milder infections that could not be detected by faecal examination. The high frequency of cure observed when the egg excretors were given praziquantel at 40 mg/kg (94%) is probably another indication that most had light infections when they were treated.
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PMID:Schistosoma mansoni-related morbidity in a low-prevalence area of Brazil: a comparison between egg excretors and seropositive non-excretors. 1787 76

To investigate whether infection of Swiss outbred mice with the digenetic fluke Schistosoma mansoni is influenced by exposure to environmental pollutants, experimentally infected mice were exposed to 200 and 400 mg/kg of malathion. Pathology of liver and spleen, worm burden and levels of key hematological, biochemical and liver enzymes parameters of these mice were evaluated and were compared with data from infected, unexposed mice, uninfected, exposed mice as well as with data from uninfected, unexposed mice. Oral administration of malathion to mice infected with 20, 40 or 60 S. mansoni cercariae adversely affect architecture of liver and spleen and critically alter hematological, biochemical, histological and hepatic enzymes parameters significantly more than the controls. Alterations observed in infected, exposed mice included (i) higher mortality rate; (ii) severe pathologies in liver and spleen; (iii) increased serum level of bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) enzymes; (iv) decreased serum level of albumin and total proteins; and (v) decreased red blood cell count (RBC), lymphocytes, leucocytic count, and hemoglobin content. The number of recovered adult worms of S. mansoni or their oviposition capacity did not seem to be affected with malathion treatment. Statistical analysis revealed that the increase alteration in hepatic functions is correlated with increasing the number of S. mansoni cercariae and malathion doses. Such alterations were more significant in mice treated with the higher dose of malathion or infected with the largest numbers of S. mansoni cercariae. These data indicate that schistosomiasis can be exacerbated by simultaneous malathion exposure, which in turn adversely impact the clinical and pathological outcome of the disease.
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PMID:Clinico-pathological effects of Schistosoma mansoni infection associated with simultaneous exposure to malathion in Swiss outbred albino mice. 1872 91

Liver biopsy is the gold-standard method to stage fibrosis; however, it is an invasive procedure and is potentially dangerous. The main objective of this study was to evaluate biological markers, such as cytokines IL-13, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and TGF-beta, platelets, bilirubins (Bil), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total proteins, gamma-glutamil transferase (gamma-GT) and alkaline phosphatase (AP), that could be used to predict the severity of hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis and hepatitis C (HC) as isolated diseases or co-infections. The following patient groups were selected: HC (n = 39), HC/hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HSS) (n = 19), HSS (n = 22) and a control group (n = 13). ANOVA and ROC curves were used for statistical analysis. P < 0.05 was considered significant. With HC patients we showed that TNF-alpha (p = 0.020) and AP (p = 0.005) could differentiate mild and severe fibrosis. With regard to necroinflammatory activity, AST (p = 0.002), gamma-GT (p = 0.034) and AP (p = 0.001) were the best markers to differentiate mild and severe activity. In HC + HSS patients, total Bil (p = 0.008) was capable of differentiating between mild and severe fibrosis. In conclusion, our study was able to suggest biological markers that are non-invasive candidates to evaluate fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity in HC and HC + HSS.
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PMID:Correlation of biological serum markers with the degree of hepatic fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity in hepatitis C and schistosomiasis patients. 2072 91


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