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Histological Injury (histological + injury)
Selected AbstractsThe orally combined neuroprotective effects of sodium ferulate and borneol against transient global ischaemia in C57 BL/6J miceJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 7 2010Xiao-hong Chen Abstract Objectives, This study aimed to investigate the possible modification of the neuroprotective effect of sodium ferulate, when orally co-administered with borneol, in transient global cerebral ischaemia-induced functional, histological and cellular alterations in mice. Methods, The bilateral common carotid artery occlusion was conducted in C57 BL/6J mice for 25 min. The mice were then subjected to a water maze test over an extended recovery period, followed by an assessment of neuronal loss in the CA1 region of the hippocampus (haematoxylin and eosin staining). The blood,brain barrier permeability (Evans blue tracing), brain oedema and oxidative stress were assayed and histological sections were also immunostained for gliofibrillar acid protein (GFAP) expression. Key findings, The ischaemia reperfused mice were associated with long-lasting spatial learning deficits in the absence of other behavioural impairments and with neurodegeneration in the hippocampal CA1 region. However, the histological injuries were significantly attenuated by oral co-administration of sodium ferulate and borneol. Furthermore, combined treatment with sodium ferulate and borneol resulted in a significant reduction in brain oedema, GFAP-positive cells, malonaldialdehyde levels and blood,brain barrier permeability, but an increase in superoxide dismutase activity. Conclusions, Borneol may have benefits for the neuroprotective effect of sodium ferulate against injury induced in the brain by ischaemia/reperfusion. [source] Insulin resistance and liver injury in hepatitis C is not associated with virus-specific changes in adipocytokines,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 1 2007Ian Homer Y. Cua The role of tumor necrosis factor ,, interleukin 6, leptin, and adiponectin in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated insulin resistance (IR) remains controversial. We tested the hypothesis that these adipocytokines contribute to chronic HCV-associated IR and liver injury by first comparing their serum levels and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in 154 untreated, non-diabetic, HCV-infected male subjects with fibrosis stage 0-2, to that in 75 healthy volunteers matched for age, body mass index (BMI), and waist-hip ratio (WHR). We next examined whether the adipocytokine levels were associated with the extent of hepatic steatosis, portal/periportal inflammation and fibrosis in our total cohort of 240 HCV-infected male subjects. Significantly higher levels of HOMA-IR (2.12 versus 1.63, P = 0.01), TNF, (1.28 versus 0.60 pg/ml, P < 0.001) and IL6 (2.42 versus 1.15 pg/ml, P = 0.001) were noted in the HCV cohort compared with healthy controls respectively, but there were no significant differences in leptin and adiponectin concentrations. By multiple linear regression, independent predictors of HOMA-IR included the body mass index, and the serum levels of leptin (positive correlation) and adiponectin (negative correlation), but not that of TNF, and IL6. Only TNF, levels were correlated with the extent of histological injury (portal/periportal inflammation, P = 0.02). Conclusion: Whereas leptin and adiponectin contribute to IR, none of the adipocytokines accounted for the elevated IR in HCV-infected subjects. The adipocytokines were not associated with histological features of chronic HCV infection except for TNF, which correlated with portal/periportal inflammation. HCV-associated IR is most likely an adipocytokine-independent effect of the virus to modulate insulin sensitivity. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;46:66,73.) [source] Apoptosis in hepatitis CJOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, Issue 5 2003J. Kountouras Summary. The apoptotic process appears to be a host defence mechanism against viral infections and tumourigenesis. However, many viral genomes encode proteins, which repress apoptosis so as to escape from immune attack by the host. Therefore, virus,host interactions may determine viral persistence, extent and severity of liver inflammation and possibly viral hepatocarcinogenesis. Apoptosis of liver cells may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C. Pathomorphologic features of increased apoptosis include shrinkage and fragmentation of nuclei/cytoplasm in piecemeal necrosis areas, acidophilic bodies, and focal cell dropout in the liver lobule. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein exhibits both proapoptotic or antiapoptotic actions. Modulation of apoptosis may involve binding of HCV core protein to the intracellular signal transducing portion of death receptors and displacement of signalling molecules. Apoptosis may occur in the absence of significant transaminase elevation, thereby explaining the lack of correlation between biochemical activity and liver cell histological injury. Monitoring caspase activation might provide a reliable tool to estimate the efficacy of HCV therapy, and might open challenging therapeutic strategies in HCV infection. The antiviral effect of interferon may be mediated through induction of apoptosis. Lastly, administration of the antiapoptotic ursodeoxycholic acid in HCV infection is compatible with the notion that apoptosis may represent a mechanism for viral shedding rather than for viral elimination, thereby raising the concept that inhibition of apoptosis could ameliorate hepatitis C. [source] Helicobacter species and hepatobiliary diseasesALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 6 2002R. W. L. Leong Summary Helicobacter species, which may colonize the biliary tract, have been implicated as a possible cause of hepatobiliary diseases ranging from chronic cholecystitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis to gall-bladder carcinoma and primary hepatic carcinomas. Research in this area has been limited by the lack of a gold standard in the diagnosis of these organisms in bile. Most published data to date have been based on molecular techniques that detect the DNA of Helicobacter species in bile, rather than evidence of viable organisms in bile. Helicobacter species have not been shown to induce histological injury to the biliary epithelium or liver parenchyma. The strongest association of the presence of these organisms in bile is with cholestatic conditions. This article reviews the literature on this newly developing field as it has evolved historically, taking pertinent methodological issues into account. [source] Diannexin, a Novel Annexin V Homodimer, Protects Rat Liver Transplants Against Cold Ischemia-Reperfusion InjuryAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 11 2007X.-D. Shen Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) remains an important problem in clinical transplantation. Following ischemia, phosphatidylserine (PS) translocates to surfaces of endothelial cells (ECs) and promotes the early attachment of leukocytes/platelets, impairing microvascular blood flow. Diannexin, a 73 KD homodimer of human annexin V, binds to PS, prevents attachment of leukocytes/platelets to EC, and maintains sinusoidal blood flow. This study analyzes whether Diannexin treatment can prevent cold IRI in liver transplantation. Rat livers were stored at 4°C in UW solution for 24 h, and then transplanted orthotopically (OLT) into syngeneic recipients. Diannexin (200 ,g/kg) was infused into: (i) donor livers after recovering and before reperfusion, (ii) OLT recipients at reperfusion and day +2. Controls consisted of untreated OLTs. Both Diannexin regimens increased OLT survival from 40% to 100%, depressed sALT levels, and decreased hepatic histological injury. Diannexin treatment decreased TNF-,, IL-1,, IP-10 expression, diminished expression of P-selectin, endothelial ICAM-1, and attenuated OLT infiltration by macrophages, CD4 cells and PMNs. Diannexin increased expression of HO-1/Bcl-2/Bcl-xl, and reduced Caspase-3/TUNEL+ apoptotic cells. Thus, by modulating leukocyte/platelet trafficking and EC activation in OLTs, Diannexin suppressed vascular inflammatory responses and decreased apoptosis. Diannexin deserves further exploration as a novel agent to attenuate IRI, and thereby improve OLT function/increase organ donor pool. [source] |