Evaluation of capillary miR-122 as a prognostic biomarker of paracetamol-induced liver toxicity

INTRODUCTION

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose is a leading cause of acute liver failure in many Western countries. Diagnostic tools for this poisoning may be suboptimal in some cases and new biomarkers have been investigated. We investigated the role of capillary microRNA-122 (miR-122) as a prognostic biomarker of liver injury in the clinical management of patients with paracetamol overdose.

METHODS

In a paracetamol overdose patient cohort, miR-122 was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a blood drop obtained by a finger prick at the end of an antidote cycle treatment with N-acetylcysteine treatment (12 h). Liver injury was defined as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity > 100 IU/L collected at 10 or 20 h after the start of treatment. Pearson's correlation analyses were performed.

RESULTS

In patients with paracetamol overdose, capillary miR-122 was positively correlated with ALT measured at 10 h and at 20 h (r = 0.83, P < 0.0001; r = 0.96, P < 0.0001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This work supports the potential use of capillary miR-122 as a prognostic biomarker of liver injury throughout clinical management of patients with paracetamol overdose. Capillary miR-122 can be measured in a blood drop collected by a finger prick, a minimally invasive diagnostic test for patient stratification.

METTL3-mediated m6A mRNA modification was involved in cadmium-induced liver injury

Cadmium is an environmental pollutant that has extensive deleterious effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the hepatotoxicity induced by long-term exposure to cadmium remained undefined. In the present study, we explored the role of m6A methylation in the development of cadmium-induced liver disease. We showed a dynamic change of RNA methylation in liver tissue from mice administrated with cadmium chloride (CdCl2) for 3, 6 and 9 months, respectively. Particularly, the METTL3 expression was declined in a time-dependent manner, associated with the degree of liver injury, indicating the involvement of METTL3 in hepatotoxicity induced by CdCl2. Moreover, we established a mouse model with liver-specific over-expression of Mettl3 and administrated these mice with CdCl2 for 6 months. Notably, METTL3 highly expressed in hepatocytes attenuated CdCl2-induced steatosis and liver fibrosis in mice. In vitro assay also showed METTL3 overexpression ameliorated the CdCl2-induced cytotoxicity and activation of primary hepatic stellate cells. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis identified 268 differentially expressed genes both in mice liver tissue treated with CdCl2 for 3 months and 9 months. Among them, 115 genes were predicted to be regulated by METTL3 determined by m6A2Target database. Further analysis revealed the perturbation of metabolic pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, ErbB signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway, and choline metabolism in cancer, and circadian rhythm, led to hepatotoxicity induced by CdCl2. Collectively, our findings reveal new insight into the crucial role of epigenetic modifications in hepatic diseases caused by long-term exposure to cadmium.

Upregulated miR-322-5p regulates cell cycle and promotes cell proliferation and apoptosis by directly targeting Wee1 in mice liver injury

Liver injury from any number of causes (e.g. chemical material, drugs and diet, viral infection) is a global health problem, and its mechanism is not clearly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) expression profiling is gaining popularity because miRNAs, as key regulators in gene expression networks, can influence many biological processes and have also shown promise as biomarkers for disease. Previous studies reported the regulation effects of miRNAs in liver injury, whereas function and molecular mechanisms of miR-322-5p were still unclear. Therefore, our study focused on the biological role of miR-322-5p in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. A mouse model of CCl4-induced liver injury was established, and the transcriptomes and miRNAs transcriptomes of 2d and 5d liver tissues after injury were sequenced. The expression of miR-322-5p and the cell cycle genes were detected in liver tissues and Hepa1-6 cell line by miRNA RT-PCR, qRT-PCR. The effects of miR-322-5p on liver cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis were evaluated using MTS assays and flow cytometry analysis. The relationship between miR-322-5p and Wee1 was predicted and confirmed by bioinformatics analysis and a dual luciferase reporter assay. Functional experiments, including an MTS assay and flow cytometric analysis, were performed to study the effects of Wee1. MiR-322-5p was upregulated in injury liver tissues, and downregulated miR-322-5p was proved to inhibit proliferation, apoptosis and arrest cell cycle at G2/M in vitro. The dual-luciferase reporter assay results indicated that miR-322-5p has a binding site at position 285 in the Wee1 3´UTR. The effects of miR-322-5p in proliferation and cell cycle regulation can be abolished by Wee1 through rescue experiments. By directly targeting Wee1 influenced the expression of several cell cycle factors, including Cyclin dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), cyclin B1 (Ccnb1) and Cell division cyclin 25C (Cdc25C). MiR-322-5p may function as a suppressive factor by negatively controlling Wee1, thus, highlighting the potential role of miR-322-5p as a therapeutic target for liver injury.Abbreviations: ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; GSH: Glutathione, γ-glutamyl cysteinel + glycine; CCl4: Carbon tetrachloride; HE: Haematoxylin and eosin; KEGG: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.

Hepatic CYP2B10 is highly induced by binge ethanol and contributes to acute-on-chronic alcohol-induced liver injury

BACKGROUND

The chronic-plus-binge model of ethanol consumption, where chronically (8-week) ethanol-fed mice are gavaged a single dose of ethanol (E8G1), is known to induce steatohepatitis in mice. However, how chronically ethanol-fed mice respond to multiple binges of ethanol remains unknown.

METHODS

We extended the E8G1 model to three gavages of ethanol (E8G3) spaced 24 h apart, sacrificed each group 9 h after the final gavage, analyzed liver injury, and examined gene expression changes using microarray analyses in each group to identify mechanisms contributing to liver responses to binge ethanol.

RESULTS

Surprisingly, E8G3 treatment induced lower levels of liver injury, steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis as compared to mice after E8G1 treatment. Microarray analyses identified several pathways that may contribute to the reduced liver injury after E8G3 treatment compared to E8G1 treatment. The gene encoding cytochrome P450 2B10 (Cyp2b10) was one of the top upregulated genes in the E8G1 group and was further upregulated in the E8G3 group, but only moderately induced after chronic ethanol consumption, as confirmed by RT-qPCR and western blot analyses. Genetic disruption of Cyp2b10 worsened liver injury in E8G1 and E8G3 mice with higher blood ethanol levels compared to wild-type control mice, while in vitro experiments revealed that CYP2b10 did not directly promote ethanol metabolism. Metabolomic analyses revealed significant differences in hepatic metabolites from E8G1-treated Cyp2b10 knockout and WT mice, and these metabolic alterations may contribute to the reduced liver injury in Cyp2b10 knockout mice.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic Cyp2b10 expression is highly induced after ethanol binge, and such upregulation reduces acute-on-chronic ethanol-induced liver injury via the indirect modification of ethanol metabolism.

Lycopene Alleviates Chronic Stress-Induced Liver Injury by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress-Mediated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway Apoptosis in Rats

The liver is the major organ of metabolism and is extremely vulnerable to chronic stress. Lycopene (LYC) is a natural carotenoid with potent antioxidant and chronic disease potential. However, whether LYC protects against chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced liver injury and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, rats were restrained for 21 days for 6 h per day, with or without gavage of LYC (10 mg/kg). Serum ALT (85.99 ± 4.07 U/L) and AST (181.78 ± 7.35 U/L) and scores of liver injury were significantly increased in the CRS group. LYC significantly promoted the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, elevated the expression of antioxidant genes, and attenuated reactive oxygen radicals (ROS) levels within the liver. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and molecular docking results indicated that LYC competitively binds to Keap1 with the lowest molecule affinity of -9.0 kcal/mol. Moreover, LYC significantly relieved the hepatic endoplasmic reticulum swelling and decreased the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) hallmarks like GRP78, CHOP, and cleaved caspase-12. Meanwhile, LYC also mitigated CRS-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. Interestingly, every other day, the intraperitoneal injection of the Nrf2 inhibitor brusatol (0.4 mg/kg) significantly counteracted the protective effect of LYC. In conclusion, LYC protects against CRS-induced liver injury by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, scavenging ROS, and further attenuating ERS-associated apoptosis pathways.

DNMT3a-mediated methylation of PSTPIP2 enhances inflammation in alcohol-induced liver injury via regulating STAT1 and NF-κB pathway

Alcohol-induced liver injury (ALI) is associated with inflammatory responses regulated by macrophages. Activation of macrophages plays a crucial role in ALI while DNA methylation-regulated gene silencing is associated with inflammation processes in macrophages. Proline-Serine-Threonine Phosphatase Interacting Protein 2 (PSTPIP2), which belongs to the Fes/CIP4 homology-Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs domain family of proteins and plays a role in macrophages. Previous studies have shown that Pstpip2 can be methylated. Herein, its expression was found to be significantly downregulated in primary liver macrophages isolated from EtOH-fed mice and EtOH-induced RAW264.7 cells. Overexpression of PSTPIP2 using liver-specific recombinant AAV serotype 9 (rAAV9)-PSTPIP2 in EtOH-fed mice dramatically alleviated liver injury and inflammatory responses. In addition, silencing of PSTPIP2 aggravated the alcohol-induced inflammatory response in vitro. Mechanistically, PSTPIP2 might affect macrophage-induced inflammatory responses by regulating the STAT1 and NF-κB signaling pathways. The downregulation of PSTPIP2 in ALI may be associated with DNA methylation. Methylation-specific PCR and western blotting analyses showed that EtOH induced abnormal DNA methylation patterns and increased the protein expression levels of DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b. The chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that DNMT3a could directly bind to the Pstpip2 promoter and act as a principal regulator of PSTPIP2 expression. Moreover, silencing of DNMT3a significantly restored the EtOH-induced low expression of PSTPIP2 and inhibited EtOH-induced inflammation. Overall, these findings provide a detailed understanding of the possible functions and mechanisms of PSTPIP2 in ALI, thus providing new substantive research to elucidate the pathogenesis of ALI and investigate potential targeted treatment strategies.

Hypoxia Preconditioning Promotes the Proliferation and Migration of Human Urine-Derived Stem Cells in Chronically Injured Liver of Mice by Upregulating CXCR4

Our previous studies reported that urine-derived stem cells (USCs) possess a strong self-renewal ability and multidirectional differentiation potential and thus are an ideal candidate cell source for hepatocellular transplantation. USC transplantation may repair the pathological changes of chronic liver injury to a certain extent, and hypoxia pretreatment may improve the recovery efficiency of USCs. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the possible mechanism of the improved recovery efficiency of hypoxia-pretreated USCs. A chronic liver injury model was established by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride into nude mice. USCs were transplanted via caudal vein injection. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's staining were performed to determine the pathology of the liver. Immunofluorescence and frozen section biopsy were performed to determine differentiation and cell fusion in vivo. Cell coculture was used to detect cell fusion in vitro. The proliferative ability of USCs was evaluated using cell viability and colony formation assays, and the migratory functions of USCs were evaluated using wound healing and transwell assays. The degeneration of hepatocytes and the level of fibrosis in the hypoxia transplantation group were improved compared with the normoxia transplantation group. It was found that exogenous USCs may be differentiated into functional hepatocytes or fused with hepatocytes in vivo. C-X-C motif chemokine (CXC) ligand 12 (CXCL12) expression levels in liver tissue of the chronic liver injury model were upregulated compared with those in the control group. The expression of CXC receptor 4 (CXCR4) in hypoxia-pretreated USCs was also significantly upregulated. The results suggested that USCs fused with different types of liver cells and that hypoxia treatment promoted the fusion rate in vitro by upregulating CXCR4 signaling. Furthermore, hypoxia pretreatment promoted cell proliferation, migration, and cell fusion by inducing CXCR4 signaling, leading to USC-elicited liver tissue recovery following injury in vivo.

Dietary iso-α-acids prevent acetaldehyde-induced liver injury through Nrf2-mediated gene expression

Acetaldehyde is the major toxic metabolite of alcohol (ethanol) and enhances fibrosis of the liver through hepatic stellate cells. Additionally, alcohol administration causes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce hepatocyte injury-mediated lipid peroxidation. Iso-α-acids, called isohumulones, are bitter acids in beer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of iso-α-acids against alcoholic liver injury in hepatocytes in mice. C57BL/6N mice were fed diets containing isomerized hop extract, which mainly consists of iso-α-acids. After 7 days of feeding, acetaldehyde was administered by a single intraperitoneal injection. The acetaldehyde-induced increases in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were suppressed by iso-α-acids intake. Hepatic gene expression analyses showed the upregulation of detoxifying enzyme genes, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). In vitro, iso-α-acids upregulated the enzymatic activities of GST and ALDH and induced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nfe2l2; Nrf2), a master regulator of antioxidant and detoxifying systems. These results suggest that iso-α-acid intake prevents acetaldehyde-induced liver injury by reducing oxidative stress via Nrf2-mediated gene expression.

Pharmacological evidence for the involvement of ryanodine receptors in halothane-induced liver injury in mice

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a major safety concern in drug development. Halothane (HAL), an inhaled anesthetic, induces severe and idiosyncratic liver injury. Ryanodine receptors (RyR) are major intracellular calcium release channels found on the plasma membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It has been reported that disordered hepatic calcium homeostasis is a feature of HAL-induced liver injury (HILI) in guinea pigs. However, there are no reports on whether RyR could mediate the pathogenesis of HILI. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of RyR on HILI. Ryanodine (RYA, RyR agonist, 50 μg/kg, i.p.) was administered to BALB/c female mice 1 h before HAL administration (15 mmol/kg, i.p.), which significantly elevated plasma transaminase levels and induced severe hepatic inflammation and necrosis. In contrast, dantrolene sodium (DAN, RyR antagonist) treatment significantly suppressed HILI in a dose- and time-dependent manner and alleviated liver damage. The number of infiltrated neutrophils in the liver were higher in the group treated with HAL + RYA than in the group treated with HAL alone, while DAN treatment decreased neutrophil infiltration in HILI. The hepatic mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines; chemokines; and factors related to danger signals, neutrophils, oxidative and ER stress, pro-apoptosis, and RyR were significantly increased with RYA pretreatment, whereas these levels were decreased with DAN treatment. These results suggest that RYA exacerbates HILI, and DAN exerts a protective effect against HILI. Hence, our study provides a novel insight regarding the effect of RyR in the mechanism underlying HILI.

Inflammation-associated suppression of metabolic gene networks in acute and chronic liver disease

Inflammation has been recognized as essential for restorative regeneration. Here, we analyzed the sequential processes during onset of liver injury and subsequent regeneration based on time-resolved transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) to understand the relationship between inflammation, mature organ function, and regeneration. Genome-wide expression and TRN analysis were performed time dependently in mouse liver after acute injury by CCl₄ (2 h, 8 h, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16 days), as well as lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 24 h) and compared to publicly available data after tunicamycin exposure (mouse, 6 h), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, mouse), and human chronic liver disease (non-alcoholic fatty liver, HBV infection and HCC). Spatiotemporal investigation differentiated lobular zones for signaling and transcription factor expression. Acute CCl₄ intoxication induced expression of gene clusters enriched for inflammation and stress signaling that peaked between 2 and 24 h, accompanied by a decrease of mature liver functions, particularly metabolic genes. Metabolism decreased not only in pericentral hepatocytes that underwent CCl₄-induced necrosis, but extended to the surviving periportal hepatocytes. Proliferation and tissue restorative TRNs occurred only later reaching a maximum at 48 h. The same upstream regulators (e.g. inhibited RXR function) were implicated in increased inflammation and suppressed metabolism. The concomitant inflammation/metabolism TRN occurred similarly after acute LPS and tunicamycin challenges, in chronic mouse models and also in human liver diseases. Downregulation of metabolic genes occurs concomitantly to induce inflammation-associated genes as an early response and appears to be initiated by similar upstream regulators in acute and chronic liver diseases in humans and mice. In the acute setting, proliferation and restorative regeneration associated TRNs peak only later when metabolism is already suppressed.

Association between CYP2E1 and GOT2 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility and low-dose N,N-dimethylformamide occupational exposure-induced liver injury

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of the interactions between the CYP2E1 and GOT2 gene polymorphisms and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) on liver injury.

METHODS

A total of 672 DMF-exposed workers were randomly selected from two synthetic leather enterprises in Suzhou, China, for follow-up in a cohort study. Information on exposure to DMF in the air was collected through a fixed-point air sampler in the worker's breathing zone. The subjects were assessed every year during the period of 2010-2015, they underwent occupational health examinations. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were measured. Peripheral blood was collected and DNA was extracted. The genotypes rs2031920, rs3813867 and rs6413432 of the CYP2E1 gene and rs7204324 of the GOT2 gene were detected by PCR, and analyzed using the Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Workers exposed to a high cumulative dose of DMF were significantly more likely than low-exposed workers to develop liver injury. No association was observed between rs2031920, rs3813867 and rs6413432 of the CYP2E1 gene and DMF-induced liver damage. However, the A allele of rs7204324 on the GOT2 gene may be a risk factor for susceptibility to DMF-induced liver injury.

CONCLUSION

Polymorphisms of rs7204324 on GOT2 may play an important role in susceptibility to liver injury following exposure to DMF.

Chronic liver injury alters driver mutation profiles in hepatocellular carcinoma in mice

Most hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) develop in a chronically injured liver, yet the extent to which this microenvironment promotes neoplastic transformation or influences selective pressures for genetic drivers of HCC remains unclear. We sought to determine the impact of hepatic injury in an established mouse model of HCC induced by Sleeping Beauty transposon mutagenesis. Chemically induced chronic liver injury dramatically increased tumor penetrance and significantly altered driver mutation profiles, likely reflecting distinct selective pressures. In addition to established human HCC genes and pathways, we identified several injury-associated candidates that represent promising loci for further study. Among them, we found that FIGN is overexpressed in human HCC and promotes hepatocyte invasion. We also validated Gli2's oncogenic potential in vivo, providing direct evidence that Hedgehog signaling can drive liver tumorigenesis in the context of chronic injury. Finally, we show that a subset of injury-associated candidate genes identifies two distinct classes of human HCCs. Further analysis of these two subclasses revealed significant trends among common molecular classification schemes of HCC. The genes and mechanisms identified here provide functional insights into the origin of HCC in a chronic liver damage environment.

CONCLUSION

A chronically damaged liver microenvironment influences the genetic mechanisms that drive hepatocarcinogenesis. (Hepatology 2018;67:924-939).

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reverse Liver Damage in a Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Mouse Model of Chronic Liver Injury

BACKGROUND/AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on repair of liver damage in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced mouse model of chronic liver damage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing BMSCs, isolated from GFP transgenic mice, were transplanted into mice with chronic liver damage induced by CCl4 The GFP-expressing BMSCs in livers were detected by fluorescence microscopy. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured for assessment of liver function. Liver histopathology was performed to assess liver damage. mRNA and protein expression of liver-associated markers albumin (Alb) and alpha-fetoprotein (Afp) were detected to confirm the hepatic differentiation of BMSCs in the liver. Immunostaining for the expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-99), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the secretion of type III collagen and lamininin was carried out.

RESULTS

After BMSC transplantation, GFP-expressing BMSCs were detected in the peri-portal and injured areas of the CCL4-injured liver. mRNA and protein expressions of Alb and Afp were significantly increased in BMSC-transplanted liver. Mice treated with BMSCs displayed reduced serum levels of ALT and AST, and CCl4-induced histopathological changes in livers were repaired. BMSC transplantation increased the production of IL-10 and inhibited the expression of MMP-9, as well as the secretion of type III collagen and lamininin.

CONCLUSION

BMSCs transplanted into mice can migrate into damaged liver, differentiate into hepatocytes and promote recovery from chemically-induced liver damage. Promotion of IL-10 and inhibition of MMP-9 by transplanted BMSCs may be involved in the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic action of BMSCs.

Exploring multiple quantitative trait loci models of hepatic fibrosis in a mouse intercross

Most common diseases are attributed to multiple genetic variants, and the feasibility of identifying inherited risk factors is often restricted to the identification of alleles with high or intermediate effect sizes. In our previous studies, we identified single loci associated with hepatic fibrosis (Hfib1-Hfib4). Recent advances in analysis tools allowed us to model loci interactions for liver fibrosis. We analysed 322 F2 progeny from an intercross of the fibrosis-susceptible strain BALB/cJ and the resistant strain FVB/NJ. The mice were challenged with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 6 weeks to induce chronic hepatic injury and fibrosis. Fibrosis progression was quantified by determining histological fibrosis stages and hepatic collagen contents. Phenotypic data were correlated to genome-wide markers to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL). Thirteen susceptibility loci were identified by single and composite interval mapping, and were included in the subsequent multiple QTL model (MQM) testing. Models provided evidence for susceptibility loci with strongest association to collagen contents (chromosomes 1, 2, 8 and 13) or fibrosis stages (chromosomes 1, 2, 12 and 14). These loci contained the known fibrosis risk genes Hc, Fasl and Foxa2 and were incorporated in a fibrosis network. Interestingly the hepatic fibrosis locus on chromosome 1 (Hfib5) connects both phenotype networks, strengthening its role as a potential modifier locus. Including multiple QTL mapping to association studies adds valuable information on gene-gene interactions in experimental crosses and human cohorts. This study presents an initial step towards a refined understanding of profibrogenic gene networks.

Transition between acute and chronic hepatotoxicity in mice is associated with impaired energy metabolism and induction of mitochondrial heme oxygenase-1

The formation of protein inclusions is frequently associated with chronic metabolic diseases. In mice, short-term intoxication with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) leads to hepatocellular damage indicated by elevated serum liver enzyme activities, whereas only minor morphological changes are observed. Conversely, chronic administration of DDC for several weeks results in severe morphological damage, characterized by hepatocellular ballooning, disruption of the intermediate filament cytoskeleton, and formation of Mallory-Denk bodies consisting predominantly of misfolded keratins, Sqstm1/p62, and heat shock proteins. To evaluate the mechanistic underpinnings for this dichotomy we dissected the time-course of DDC intoxication for up to 10 weeks. We determined body weight change, serum liver enzyme activities, morphologic alterations, induction of antioxidant response (heme oxygenase-1, HO-1), oxidative damage and ATP content in livers as well as respiration, oxidative damage and the presence and activity of HO-1 in endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria (mtHO-1). Elevated serum liver enzyme activity and oxidative liver damage were already present at early intoxication stages without further subsequent increase. After 2 weeks of intoxication, mice had transiently lost 9% of their body weight, liver ATP-content was reduced to 58% of controls, succinate-driven respiration was uncoupled from ATP-production and antioxidant response was associated with the appearance of catalytically active mtHO-1. Oxidative damage was associated with both acute and chronic DDC toxicity whereas the onset of chronic intoxication was specifically associated with mitochondrial dysfunction which was maximal after 2 weeks of intoxication. At this transition stage, adaptive responses involving mtHO-1 were induced, indirectly leading to improved respiration and preventing further drop of ATP levels. Our observations clearly demonstrate principally different mechanisms for acute and chronic toxic damage.

[The effect of GST M1 and GST T1 gene mutations on anti-tuberculous drug induced hepatic injury]

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship between the polymorphisms of GST M1 and GST T1 genes and anti-tuberculous drug induced hepatic injury (ADIH).

METHODS

A 1:1 matched case-control study was carried out. One hundred and six patients [age (49 +/- 19) years, 73 men and 33 women] fulfilling the criteria of ADIH during the 3 month follow-up after the initiation of anti-tuberculous therapy were included, while 106 cases [age (49 +/- 19) years, 73 men and 33 women] without any hepatic injury served as the controls. The genotypes of GST M1 and GST T1 genetic polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients who received anti-tuberculosis therapy. Using SPSS 11.5 for windows software, univariate and multivariate conditional logistic analyses were conducted for studying the relationship between the polymorphisms and ADIH.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis demonstrated that the "null" genotype of GST M1 gene occurred in 50 (47.2%) of the cases, more frequent than in the controls [25 (23.6%)], with a crude OR (95%CI) 2.786 (1.513 - 5.130). No significant association was observed between ADIH and GST T1 polymorphism. Among the risk factors analyzed, body mass index and alcohol drinking were significantly associated with ADIH. In the multivariate analysis, a significant association between ADIH and the "null" genotype of GST M1 existed, after adjusting for body mass index and drinking status, adjusted OR (95%CI) being 3.022 (1.540 - 5.926). Again, no significant association was observed between GST T1 polymorphism and ADIH.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that patients carrying GST M1-"null" genotype may be susceptible to ADIH.

[Effects of maternal toxic hepatitis on the postnatal development of duodenal morphology of their offspring]

Retardation has been shown in development and formation of the vascular-and-tissue structures of white rat younglings (3, 7, 14, 21, 30 days old) born to mothers with chronic heliotrine hepatitis in the duodenum versus control animals. In the duodenal mucosa, the villi are short, their shape lost, the mucosal muscular plate development returded. Noted in the epithelium are distrophic changes, a decline in the epithelial cell mitotic activity. The intraorgan blood vessels are dilated and blood-filled. There are spots of extravasation.