Liver injury after an aggressive encounter in male mice

How it ends: A review of behavioral and psychological phenomena, physiological processes and neural circuits in the termination of aggression in other animals and anger in people

More is known about aggression initiation and persistence in other animals, and anger in people, than about their cessation. This review summarizes knowledge of relevant factors in aggression, mostly in vertebrates, and anger termination in people. The latency, probability and intensity of offensive aggression in mice is controlled by activity in a neuronal subpopulation in ventromedial hypothalamus [VMH]. This activity instantiates an aggressive state termed angriffsbereitschaft ["attack-readiness"]. Fighting in many species is broken into bouts with interbout breaks due to fatigue and/or signals from dorsal raphe to VMH. Eventually, losers decide durations and outcomes of fighting by transitioning to submission or flight. Factors reducing angriffsbereitschaft and triggering these defeat behaviors could include metabolic costs, e.g., lactate accumulation and glucose depletion detected by the hypothalamus, central fatigue perhaps sensed by the Salience Network [insula and anterior cingulate gyrus] and pain of injuries, the latter insufficiently blunted by opioid and non-opioid stress analgesia and transduced by anterior VMH neurons. Winners' angriffsbereitschaft continue for awhile, as indicated by post-victory attacks and, perhaps, triumph displays of some species, including humans. In longer term situations, sensory and/or response habituation of aggression may explain the "Dear enemy" tolerance of competitive neighbors. Prolonged satiation of predatory behavior could involve habenula-regulated reduction of dopaminergic reward in nucleus accumbens. Termination of human anger involves at least three processes, metaphorically termed decay, quenching and catharsis. Hypothesized neural mechanisms include anger diminution by negative feedback from accumbens to anterior cingulate and/or activity in the Salience Network that controls anger's "accumulation/offset" phase.

Sodium butyrate protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury partially via the GPR43/ β-arrestin-2/NF-κB network

Background

Butyrate acts as a regulator in multiple inflammatory organ injuries. However, the role of butyrate in acute liver injury has not yet been fully explored. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between butyrate and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver injury and the signaling pathways involved.

Methods

LPS-induced acute liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS (5 mg/kg) in G-protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43)-knockout (KO) and wild-type female C57BL/6 mice. Sodium butyrate (500mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min prior to LPS exposure. Liver injury was detected by serum markers, tissue morphology, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). Pro-inflammatory-factor levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell models were first treated with sodium butyrate (4 μmol/mL), followed by LPS (1 μg/mL) half an hour later in GPR43 small interfering RNA (siRNA)-transfected or control RAW264.7 cells. Cell-inflammation status was evaluated through detecting pro-inflammatory-factor expression by RT-PCR and also through checking toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB (TLR4/NF-κB)-element levels including TLR4, TRAF6, IKKβ, IкBα, phospho-IкBα, p65, and phospho-p65 by Western blot. The interaction between GPR43 and β-arrestin-2 was tested by co-immunoprecipitation.

Results

Sodium butyrate reversed the LPS-induced tissue-morphology changes and high levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, myeloperoxidase, TUNEL, and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. The ameliorating effect of sodium butyrate was weakened in GPR43-KO mice and GPR43 siRNA RAW264.7 cells, compared with those of GPR43-positive controls. Sodium butyrate downregulated some elements of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, including phospho-IκBα and phospho-p65, in RAW264.7 cells. Increased interactions between GPR43 and β-arrestin-2, and between β-arrestin-2 and IкBα were observed.

Conclusion

Sodium butyrate significantly attenuated LPS-induced liver injury by reducing the inflammatory response partially via the GPR43/β-arrestin-2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Intermittent Hypoxic Conditioning Alleviates Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-Induced Damage and Dysfunction of Rat Visceral Organs and Brain

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes mental and somatic diseases. Intermittent hypoxic conditioning (IHC) has cardio-, vaso-, and neuroprotective effects and alleviates experimental PTSD. IHC’s ability to alleviate harmful PTSD effects on rat heart, liver, and brain was examined. PTSD was induced by 10-day exposure to cat urine scent (PTSD rats). Some rats were then adapted to 14-day IHC (PTSD+IHC rats), while PTSD and untreated control rats were cage rested. PTSD rats had a higher anxiety index (AI, X-maze test), than control or PTSD+IHC rats. This higher AI was associated with reduced glycogen content and histological signs of metabolic and hypoxic damage and of impaired contractility. The livers of PTSD rats had reduced glycogen content. Liver and blood alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities of PTSD rats were significantly increased. PTSD rats had increased norepinephrine concentration and decreased monoamine oxidase A activity in cerebral cortex. The PTSD-induced elevation of carbonylated proteins and lipid peroxidation products in these organs reflects oxidative stress, a known cause of organ pathology. IHC alleviated PTSD-induced metabolic and structural injury and reduced oxidative stress. Therefore, IHC is a promising preventive treatment for PTSD-related morphological and functional damage to organs, due, in part, to IHC’s reduction of oxidative stress.

Bi-stability in type 2 diabetes mellitus multi-organ signalling network

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is believed to be irreversible although no component of the pathophysiology is irreversible. We show here with a network model that the apparent irreversibility is contributed by the structure of the network of inter-organ signalling. A network model comprising all known inter-organ signals in T2DM showed bi-stability with one insulin sensitive and one insulin resistant attractor. The bi-stability was made robust by multiple positive feedback loops suggesting an evolved allostatic system rather than a homeostatic system. In the absence of the complete network, impaired insulin signalling alone failed to give a stable insulin resistant or hyperglycemic state. The model made a number of correlational predictions many of which were validated by empirical data. The current treatment practice targeting obesity, insulin resistance, beta cell function and normalization of plasma glucose failed to reverse T2DM in the model. However certain behavioural and neuro-endocrine interventions ensured a reversal. These results suggest novel prevention and treatment approaches which need to be tested empirically.

Influence of ACTG4-7-PGP (Semax) on Morphofunctional State of Hepatocytes in Chronic Emotional and Painful Stress

We studied the effect of intraperitoneal administration of peptide ACTG_4-7-PGP to male Wistar rats in doses of 5, 50, 150, and 450 μg/kg on the morphofunctional state of hepatocytes in chronic emotional and painful stress. A dose-dependent stress-limiting effect of the peptide was observed: it normalized the protein synthesis function of the liver and serum activity of ALT. The anticytolytic effect of the peptide increased with increasing its dose against the background of the increase in the relative number of multinucleated and multinucleolated cells and deceleration of the recovery of serum protein concentration. The decrease of hepatocyte cytolysis against the background of more intense morphological signs of protein synthesis processes attests to activation of reparative processes in the liver parenchyma via enhanced constitutional synthesis of protein.

Animal nutrition and breeding conditions modify the physiology of isolated primary cells

Animal primary cell cultures are widely used in biomedical research to investigate cell metabolism, diseases and to devise novel treatments. Modern animal breeding techniques are developed to unify, control and reduce the amount of microorganisms that the animals are being exposed to. Furthermore, health monitoring and strict caging and handling protocols allow animals to be exposed only to a selected spectrum of microbes. We are starting to appreciate that nutrition can influence composition of gut microbiota that can impact hosting organism's physiology and can even result in development of pathological changes. Evidence is also emerging that acute as well as chronic stresses can profoundly influence the physiology of certain organs, especially heart and liver. Our preliminary data imply that changes in animal nutrition and stress levels initiated up to minutes before the cell isolation could alter the cell stress response of cultured primary hepatocytes after isolation, leading to differences in sensitivity of apoptosis triggering. Therefore, we propose the hypothesis that conditions of animal breeding, especially diet and stress levels, are reflected in the physiology of the isolated primary cells. Variations in animal breeding conditions may influence experimental results on isolated cells and their applicability for studying human disorders.

Acute and chronic plasma metabolomic and liver transcriptomic stress effects in a mouse model with features of post-traumatic stress disorder

Acute responses to intense stressors can give rise to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD diagnostic criteria include trauma exposure history and self-reported symptoms. Individuals who meet PTSD diagnostic criteria often meet criteria for additional psychiatric diagnoses. Biomarkers promise to contribute to reliable phenotypes of PTSD and comorbidities by linking biological system alterations to behavioral symptoms. Here we have analyzed unbiased plasma metabolomics and other stress effects in a mouse model with behavioral features of PTSD. In this model, C57BL/6 mice are repeatedly exposed to a trained aggressor mouse (albino SJL) using a modified, resident-intruder, social defeat paradigm. Our recent studies using this model found that aggressor-exposed mice exhibited acute stress effects including changed behaviors, body weight gain, increased body temperature, as well as inflammatory and fibrotic histopathologies and transcriptomic changes of heart tissue. Some of these acute stress effects persisted, reminiscent of PTSD. Here we report elevated proteins in plasma that function in inflammation and responses to oxidative stress and damaged tissue at 24 hrs post-stressor. Additionally at this acute time point, transcriptomic analysis indicated liver inflammation. The unbiased metabolomics analysis showed altered metabolites in plasma at 24 hrs that only partially normalized toward control levels after stress-withdrawal for 1.5 or 4 wks. In particular, gut-derived metabolites were altered at 24 hrs post-stressor and remained altered up to 4 wks after stress-withdrawal. Also at the 4 wk time point, hyperlipidemia and suppressed metabolites of amino acids and carbohydrates in plasma coincided with transcriptomic indicators of altered liver metabolism (activated xenobiotic and lipid metabolism). Collectively, these system-wide sequelae to repeated intense stress suggest that the simultaneous perturbed functioning of multiple organ systems (e.g., brain, heart, intestine and liver) can interact to produce injuries that lead to chronic metabolic changes and disorders that have been associated with PTSD.

Anesthesia for patients with liver disease

CONTEXT

Liver plays an important role in metabolism and physiological homeostasis in the body. This organ is unique in its structure and physiology. So it is necessary for an anesthesiologist to be familiar with various hepatic pathophysiologic conditions and consequences of liver dysfunction.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

WE SEARCHED MEDLINE (PUB MED, OVID, MD CONSULT), SCOPUS AND THE COCHRANE DATABASE FOR THE FOLLOWING KEYWORDS: liver disease, anesthesia and liver disease, regional anesthesia in liver disease, epidural anesthesia in liver disease and spinal anesthesia in liver disease, for the period of 1966 to 2013.

RESULTS

Although different anesthetic regimens are available in modern anesthesia world, but anesthetizing the patients with liver disease is still really tough. Spinal or epidural anesthetic effects on hepatic blood flow and function is not clearly investigated, considering both the anesthetic drug-induced changes and outcomes. Regional anesthesia might be used in patients with advanced liver disease. In these cases lower drug dosages are used, considering the fact that locally administered drugs have less systemic effects. In case of general anesthesia it seems that using inhalation agents (Isoflurane, Desflurane or Sevoflurane), alone or in combination with small doses of fentanyl can be considered as a reasonable regimen. When administering drugs, anesthetist must realize and consider the substantially changed pharmacokinetics of some other anesthetic drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the fact that anesthesia in chronic liver disease is a scary and pretty challenging condition for every anesthesiologist, this hazard could be diminished by meticulous attention on optimizing the patient's condition preoperatively and choosing appropriate anesthetic regimen and drugs in this setting. Although there are paucity of statistics and investigations in this specific group of patients but these little data show that with careful monitoring and considering the above mentioned rules a safe anesthesia could be achievable in these patients.

The role of alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors in restraint stress-induced liver injury in mice

Acute stress affects cellular integrity in many tissues including the liver, but its underlying mechanism is still unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential involvement of catecholamines and adrenoceptors in the regulation of acute restraint stress-induced liver injury. Restraint was achieved by placing mice in restraint tubes. Mice were treated with either an α-l antagonist, prazosin, an α-2 antagonist, yohimbine, a β-l antagonist, betaxolol, a β-2 antagonist, ICI 118551, or a central and peripheral catecholamine depleting agent, reserpine, and followed by restraint stress. Assessment of liver injury (serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) , hepatic total GSH, GSSG and GSH/GSSG ratio) , histopathology and of apoptosis, by TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling) assay and western blotting, was performed. Three hours of restraint stress resulted in liver injury, as indexed by elevated serum transaminase levels, decreased hepatic total GSH levels and GSH/GSSG ratio, increased hepatic GSSG levels as well as enhanced hepatocytes apoptosis. Either reserpine or prazosin or yohimbine was found to attenuate liver injury. Furthermore, prazosin and yohimbine protected against restraint-induced hepatocytes apoptosis through attenuating the activation of caspases-9 and -3 and reducing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These results suggest that α-1 and α-2 adrenoceptors mediate restraint-induced liver oxidative injury through caspase-9 and Bcl-2 family of apoptotic regulatory proteins.

Does stress-induced release of interleukin-1 cause liver injury?

It is well established that repeated immobilization stress (RIS) is induced by increased levels of cytokines and the emergence of lesions in the liver. Our data prove that interleukin-1 (IL-1) causes liver lesions in stressed Wistar rats. In essence, the relationship between IL-1 and stress-induced liver injury is based on three findings: (1) IL-1β treatment causes liver inflammation, consisting of infiltrating monocytes and the appearance of necrosis by increasing lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation. Positive correlations between the content of heptane-soluble diene conjugates and an area of necrosis, as well as between content carbonylated proteins and an area of necrosis, were found after injection of IL-1β to unstressed rats. (2) RIS is accompanied by increased levels of circulating IL-1β and corticosterone. In the liver, stress causes the emergence of foci of necrosis with perivascular and lobular infiltration of mononuclear cells as well as increased free radical oxidation. Moreover, there were observed down-regulations of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-dependent enzymes, CYP1A1 activities, and decreased CYP1A1 mRNA content. Positive correlations between the level of circulating IL-1β and necrosis areas, as well as between circulating IL-1β and the content of heptane-soluble diene conjugates, were observed in stressed rats. In addition, the positive correlation between necrosis foci and heptane-soluble diene conjugates was revealed after stress cessation. (3) Use of the IL-1 receptor antagonist Anakinra at a dose of 2 μg/kg to treat the effects of stress prevents infiltration of mononuclear cells and reduces the level of free radical oxidation as well as necrosis of lesions. As a result, blocking IL-1 receptors with an antagonist significantly rescues stress-induced liver injury, suggesting that IL-1 might be involve in the cascade of liver injury that initiated by sustained stress.

The G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor, Gpbar1 (TGR5), negatively regulates hepatic inflammatory response through antagonizing nuclear factor κ light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) in mice

Gpbar1 (TGR5), a membrane-bound bile acid receptor, is well known for its roles in regulation of energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism. TGR5 also displays strong attenuation of macrophage reactivity in vitro, but the physiological roles of TGR5 in inflammatory response, and its mechanism, is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that TGR5 is a negative modulator of nuclear factor kappa light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB)-mediated inflammation. TGR5 activation suppresses the phosphorylation of nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκBα), the translocation of p65, NF-κB DNA-binding activity, and its transcription activity. Furthermore, TGR5 activation enhances the interaction of IκBα and β-arrestin2. Suppression of NF-κB transcription activity and its target gene expression by TGR5 agonist are specifically abolished by the expression of anti-β-arrestin2 small interfering RNA. These results show that TGR5 suppresses the NF-κB pathway by mediation of the interaction between IκBα and β-arrestin2. In a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model, TGR5(-/-) mice show more severe liver necroses and inflammation, compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Activation of TGR5 by its agonist ligand inhibits the expression of inflammatory mediators in response to NF-κB activation induced by LPS in WT, but not TGR5(-/-), mouse liver.

CONCLUSION

These findings identify TGR5 as a negative mediator of inflammation that may serve as an attractive therapeutic tool for immune and inflammatory liver diseases.

Aggressive interactions differentially modulate local and systemic levels of corticosterone and DHEA in a wild songbird

During the nonbreeding season, when gonadal androgen synthesis is basal, recent evidence suggests that neurosteroids regulate the aggression of male song sparrows. In particular, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is rapidly converted in the brain to androgens in response to aggressive interactions. In other species, aggressive encounters increase systemic glucocorticoid levels. However, the relationship between aggression and local steroid levels is not well understood. Here, during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons, we tested the effects of a simulated territorial intrusion (STI) on DHEA and corticosterone levels in the brachial and jugular plasma. Jugular plasma is enriched with neurosteroids and provides an indirect index of brain steroid levels. Further, during the nonbreeding season, we directly measured steroid levels in the brain and peripheral tissues. Both breeding and nonbreeding males displayed robust aggressive responses to STI. During the breeding season, STI increased brachial and jugular corticosterone levels and jugular DHEA levels. During the nonbreeding season, STI did not affect plasma corticosterone levels, but increased jugular DHEA levels. During the nonbreeding season, STI did not affect brain levels of corticosterone or DHEA. However, STI did increase corticosterone and DHEA concentrations in the liver and corticosterone concentrations in the pectoral muscle. These data suggest that 1) aggressive social interactions affect neurosteroid levels in both seasons and 2) local steroid synthesis in peripheral tissues may mobilize energy reserves to fuel aggression in the nonbreeding season. Local steroid synthesis in brain, liver or muscle may serve to avoid the costs of systemic increases in corticosterone and testosterone.

Submandibular salivary glands: influence on growth rate and life span in mice

Submandibular glands accumulate a variety of growth factors, especially in male mice. Surgical excision of these glands (sialoadenectomy) results in alterations in several organs and systems including the liver, skin and reproductive system. We studied the life-long consequences of sialoadenectomy in male mice. Animals were operated at the age of 10 weeks. Thereafter, body weight and food and water intake were controlled until death. Few weeks after surgery, body weight was lower in sialoadenectomized than in control mice. The difference remained stable until the age of 80 weeks. In spite of the lower body weight, food intake was higher in sialoadenectomized mice than in controls. The first death of sialoadenectomized mice occurred 10 weeks earlier than that of the first control, and the initial death rate in sialoadenectomized mice was almost twice the rate in controls. After 100 weeks of life, the death rate increased in control mice, but suddenly decreased in sialoadenectomized mice. The consequence was that the mean life span of the last 25% surviving animals was 10 weeks longer in sialoadenectomized than in control mice. Autopsy examination suggests that the effect of sialoadenectomy on death rate may be the consequence of a contrasting effect on tumour growth. Our results indicate that submandibular glands, or rather the factors derived from these glands, have contrasting roles in tumour growth. At early ages they may be survival factors and protect tissues, whereas at later ages they may stimulate the growth of transformed cells.

High-dose vitamin C: does it exacerbate the effect of psychosocial stress on liver? Biochemical and histological study

AIM

Chronic stress has been implicated as a contributing factor in liver injury. However, other factors that can contribute to the severity of stress effect in liver injury have not been well characterized. In this study, the combined effect of chronic psychosocial stress and variable dosing levels of vitamin C on liver injury, have been studied.

METHODS

Stress was chronically induced using intruder method. Vitamin C was administered by oral gavage. Both biochemical and histopathological measures were undertaken.

RESULTS

The results showed that low (50mg/kg/day) and moderate (150 mg/kg/day) doses of vitamin C alone or in combination with chronic stress had no effect on liver. However, combination of high dose of vitamin C (500 mg/kg/day) and chronic stress induced various histopathological liver lesions in most of animals in the group that was stressed and supplemented with high dose vitamin C.

CONCLUSION

Results of this study show a dose-dependent effect for vitamin C in exacerbating stress contribution to liver injury.

Association between posttraumatic stress disorder following myocardial infarction and liver enzyme levels: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Research in rodents demonstrated that psychological stress increases circulating levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase reflecting liver injury. Moreover, chronic posttraumatic stress disorder and transaminases predicted coronary heart disease.

AIMS

To investigate the hypothesis that severity of posttraumatic stress disorder following myocardial infarction would prospectively relate to liver enzymes.

METHODS

Study participants were 24 patients (mean 59+/-7 years, 79% men) with an interviewer-rated diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder caused by an index myocardial infarction 3+/-3 months before. After a mean follow-up of 26+/-6 months, patients had a clinical interview to reassess posttraumatic stress disorder severity, a medical history, and blood collected to determine liver enzymes.

RESULTS

Total posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms assessed at study entry prospectively predicted plasma levels of alanine transaminase (r=.47, p=.031) and alkaline phosphatase (r=.57, p=.004), but not of aspartate transaminase (p=.15), controlling for follow-up duration and antidepressant use. Total posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms assessed at follow-up were associated with alanine transaminase (r=.72, p=.004), aspartate transaminase (r=.60, p=.018), and alkaline phosphatase (r=.64, p=.001) in the 16 patients who had maintained diagnostic posttraumatic stress disorder, but not in all 24 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The severity of posttraumatic stress disorder following myocardial infarction was associated with mild increase in liver enzyme levels, suggesting that chronic psychological stress relates to hepatic damage in humans. This might help to explain the previously observed increased cardiovascular risk in chronically traumatized individuals.

Acute and chronic adrenergic stimulation of submandibular salivary glands. Effects on the endocrine function of epidermal growth factor in mice

Submandibular salivary glands are the major source of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in mice. Acute secretion of EGF from these glands protects the heart against catecholamine-induced injury. Little is known about chronic adrenergic stimulation of salivary glands and the contribution of accumulated EGF to the adaptive hypertrophic response of the heart to such chronic adrenergic stimulation. Here we show that the EGF content of submandibular glands did not recover to normal values 24 h after a single phenylephrine injection or an aggressive encounter. Repeated (twice a day for 2 days) adrenergic stimulation resulted in an almost 90% decrease in EGF content in the submandibular glands. In these conditions, new adrenergic stimulation did not result in an increase in plasma EGF concentration, or in the activation of liver ErbB1 (the EGF receptor). Chronic isoproterenol or phenylephrine administration (7 days) induced atrial natriuretic factor expression in the heart and an increase in both ventricular weight and protein. The surgical removal of submandibular glands (sialoadenectomy) did not affect these adaptive responses of the heart. We conclude that EGF from submandibular glands does not contribute to heart hypertrophy, one of the adaptive responses induced by chronic adrenergic stimulation.

Thoracic epidural anesthesia reverses sepsis-induced hepatic hyperperfusion and reduces leukocyte adhesion in septic rats

INTRODUCTION

Liver dysfunction is a common feature of severe sepsis and is associated with a poor outcome. Both liver perfusion and hepatic inflammatory response in sepsis might be affected by sympathetic nerve activity. However, the effects of thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA), which is associated with regional sympathetic block, on septic liver injury are unknown. Therefore, we investigated hepatic microcirculation and inflammatory response during TEA in septic rats.

METHODS

Forty-five male Sprague-Dawley-rats were instrumented with thoracic epidural catheters and randomized to receive a sham procedure (Sham), cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) without epidural anesthesia (Sepsis) and CLP with epidural infusion of 15 ul/h bupivacaine 0.5% (Sepsis + TEA). All animals received 2 ml/100 g/h NaCl 0.9%. In 24 (n = 8 in each group) rats, sinusoidal diameter, loss of sinusoidal perfusion and sinusoidal blood flow as well as temporary and permanent leukocyte adhesion to sinusoidal and venolar endothelium were recorded by intravital microscopy after 24 hours. In 21 (n = 7 in each group) separate rats, cardiac output was measured by thermodilution. Blood pressure, heart rate, serum transaminase activity, serum TNF-alpha concentration and histologic signs of tissue injury were recorded.

RESULTS

Whereas cardiac output remained constant in all groups, sinusoidal blood flow increased in the Sepsis group and was normalized in rats subjected to sepsis and TEA. Sepsis-induced sinusoidal vasoconstriction was not ameliorated by TEA. In the Sepsis + TEA group, the increase in temporary venolar leukocyte adherence was blunted. In contrast to this, sinusoidal leukocyte adherence was not ameliorated in the Sepsis + TEA group. Sepsis-related release of TNF-alpha and liver tissue injury were not affected by Sepsis + TEA.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that TEA reverses sepsis-induced alterations in hepatic perfusion and ameliorates hepatic leukocyte recruitment in sepsis.

Carbon tetrachloride-induced liver disease in rats: the potential effect of supplement oils with vitamins E and C on the nutritional status

The aim of the present investigation was to study the effects of olive oil (OO), corn oil (CO), and flaxseed oil (FO), with or without supplementation of vitamins E and C, on food intake, body weight gain %, liver weight to body weight %, total lipids, liver functions, and liver histology in male rats intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). Forty-two rats were divided into two main groups. The first main group was fed on basal diet (BD) as a negative control group (NC). The second main group received subcutaneous injections of CCl(4) in paraffin oil (50% v/v 2 ml/kg) twice a week to induce chronic damage in the liver. The group was then divided into six subgroups, three of which were fed on 4% unsupplemented oils (CO, FO, and OO) as positive control for the three oils used. The rest of the groups were fed on 4% of the same oils supplemented with vitamins E and C. The results of the flaxseed oil rat group indicate that supplementing vitamin E and C led to a significant reduction in the mean values of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and liver alanine amino transferase enzyme (ALT). Moreover, it caused an increase of the mean value of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as compared to the negative control group (NC). The olive oil group supplemented with the same vitamins showed a significant decrease in the mean value of serum TC and significant (P<0.05) increase in the mean value of serum HDL-C as compared to NC. The results of the corn oil group supplemented with vitamins showed a significant increase in the mean value of serum HDL-C as compared to the negative control group. The histology results confirmed that the group hepatically injured with CCl(4) treatment and fed on supplemented FO or OO showed apparently normal hepatocytes.

CONCLUSION

The most effective treatment was observed with oils supplemented with vitamins E and C. Hierarchically FO achieved the best results compared to other additives, followed by OO and finally CO showing the least effective treatment among the observed groups.

Studies of keratins in tongue coating samples of hepatitis B patients by mass spectrometry

Pooled tongue coating samples from 64 hepatitis B patients and 24 healthy adults were studied and a major band of differential proteins was found by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The differential proteins in this band were identified and proved to be keratins by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, relative quantification of the identified keratins was performed via using stable isotopic labeling and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), showing the higher expression level of these keratins in tongue coating samples of hepatitis B patients than healthy adults. These results provided additional information to understand the medical diagnosis depending on the tongue coating.

Sialoadenectomy enhances hepatic injury induced by lipopolysaccharide/galactosamine in mice

BACKGROUND

Submandibular salivary glands (SMGs) synthesize, accumulate and secrete a large amount of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in mice. It is known that surgical removal of SMG (sialoadenectomy) alters cell turnover in the liver and exacerbates liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide/galactosamine (LPS/GalN).

RESULTS

Here we show that such increased hepatotoxicity is not the consequence of the lack of EGF production from SMG. On the contrary, it appears to be the consequence of an inadequate cytokine production by the liver of sialoadenectomized mice. Thus, we found that the increase of plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 was slower in sialoadenectomized than in sham-operated mice. This is because of a decreased rate of production of both cytokines by the liver. We found that the increase of plasma corticosterone (CS) concentration is lower in sialoadenectomized than that in sham-operated mice. Adrenalectomy exacerbated liver injury induced by LPS/GalN. In these animals, sialoadenectomy did not further increase the effect of LPS/GalN.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the effect of sialoadenectomy on LPS/GalN-induced liver toxicity may be the consequence of an altered cytokine production by the liver and a reduced CS release from adrenal glands.