Applications of proteomics in hepatic diseases research

Since the completion of human genome draft in the process of Human Genome Project (HGP), life science has entered the post-genome era in the early 21st century. Proteomics has become an important part in the leading research area and been applied in many fields of life science such as the occurrence and de-velopment of tumor, cell differentiation and embryo-genesis, mechanisms of gene regulation, mechanisms and therapy of major diseases, pharmacy, relationship between environment and health …     

Schistosoma japonicum soluble egg antigens induce apoptosis and inhibit activation of hepatic stellate cells: a possible molecular mechanism

Hepatic stellate cells play a key role in the development of hepatic fibrosis. Activated hepatic stellate cells can be reversed to a quiescent-like state or apoptosis can be induced to reverse fibrosis. Some studies have recently shown that Schistosoma mansoni eggs could suppress the activation of hepatic stellate cells and that soluble egg antigens from schistosome eggs could promote immunocyte apoptosis. Hence, in this study, we attempt to assess the direct effects of Schistosoma japonicum soluble egg antigens on hepatic stellate cell apoptosis, and to explore the mechanism by which the apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells can be induced by soluble egg antigens, as well as the mechanism by which hepatic stellate cell activation is inhibited by soluble egg antigens. Here, it was shown that S. japonicum-infected mouse livers had increased apoptosis phenomena and a variability of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ expression. Soluble egg antigens induce morphological changes in the hepatic stellate cell LX-2 cell line, inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell-cycle arrest at the G₁ phase. Soluble egg antigens also induce apoptosis in hepatic stellate cells through the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand/death receptor 5 and caspase-dependent pathways. Additionally, soluble egg antigens could inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and the transforming growth factor β signalling pathways. Therefore, our study provides new insights into the anti-fibrotic effects of S. japonicum soluble egg antigens on hepatic stellate cell apoptosis and the underlying mechanism by which the liver fibrosis could be attenuated by soluble egg antigens.     

Prevention of arsenic-induced hepatic apoptosis by concomitant administration of garlic extracts in mice

Garlic is well known as a folk remedy for a variety of ailments since ancient times, however, very few studies are available suggesting its beneficial role against arsenic toxicity pertaining to its ability to eliminate arsenic from the blood and soft tissues and in reversal of arsenic-induced oxidative stress in affected tissues. The present study was planned to investigate the protective efficacy of aqueous garlic extract using two different doses on parameters suggestive of hepatic injury, tissue oxidative stress and mobilization of arsenic. Further, an attempt to understand the mechanism of arsenic in inducing hepatic apoptosis was also studied. Results of the present study suggested that arsenic administration in mice caused generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing apoptosis through mitochondria-mediated pathway. The ROS generation in hepatic tissue reverted to normal values after co-administration of garlic extracts. The study provides significant evidence that garlic extracts contain strong anti-oxidant property which could be beneficial in preventing arsenic-induced toxicity in cells. However, further research is required to determine whether the results from animal studies are applicable to humans before garlic can be recommended as a putative agent against arsenic toxicity.     

骨髓干细胞移植治疗肝硬化的基础与临床研究现状

肝硬化是一种临床常见的肝病良性终末期表现。目前临床上尚缺乏有效的治疗措施。肝脏移植是最理想的治疗方法,但受供体肝脏来源限制,且费用昂贵。近年来开展的自体骨髓干细胞(BMSCs)移植治疗,为肝硬化的治疗带来了新的希望。BMSCs主要包括造型血干细胞和间充质干细胞,其具有可塑性,体外通过生长因子,体内利用特定微环境均可诱导BMSCs分化为肝前体细胞和成熟肝细胞,并明显改善肝功能。从动物实验到临床研究亦表明,BMSCs具有来源丰富、费用低廉、损伤小、自体移植不栓塞、无排斥反应等优点,为治疗肝病带来了新思路,有望成为生物人工肝的细胞来源。本文就BMSCs移植治疗肝硬化的研究现状,尤其是移植途径以及在肝脏内定居、迁移和分化机制的示踪观察方法和存在的问题作一综述,以期为从事肝病研究的同仁提供参考依据。通过对BMSCs移植从基础研究及临床应用的最新进展的描述,展示BMSCs在肝硬化治疗方面良好的治疗前景。     

Role of BSP bilirubin binding protein on p-aminohippurate transport in rat kidney

The frequency, severity, and outcome of flutamide-induced hepatic injury were prospectively evaluated in 55 patients with prostate cancer who received 125 mg of flutamide 3 times a day (daily dose: 375 mg) combined with an agonistic analogue of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. In addition, we examined plasma and urine concentrations of flutamide and its major metabolites 4 weeks after the beginning of flutamide therapy, and evaluated their significance in predicting flutamide-induced hepatic dysfunction. Hepatic function could be assessed in 50 patients and hepatic dysfunction during therapy was observed in 9 patients (18%); 3 patients (6%) were classified as having moderate liver dysfunction and 6 (12%) were classified as having mild liver dysfunction. The steady-state plasma levels of flutamide and its biologic active metabolite, hydroxyflutamide (OH-Flu), were not related to hepatic dysfunction. However, the concentration of another major metabolite, 4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenylamine (FLU-1) was considerably higher in 2 patients who developed clinically significant hepatic dysfunction. These findings suggest that clinically significant hepatic dysfunction could be induced in patients with compromised flutamide metabolism, which leads to a high concentration of FLU-1. Based on results of this study, we propose that plasma FLU-1 levels are one of the predictive factors for flutamide-induced hepatic dysfunction. This hypothesis will be confirmed in a large-scale study.     

胚胎干细胞向肝实质细胞体外定向诱导分化过程中的肝卵圆细胞

如果肝脏严重受损致使肝细胞大部分坏死,或由于某些原因 ( 肝毒性物质、致癌物质的作用 ) 抑制残存肝细胞增殖时,肝内前体／干细胞———肝卵圆细胞便被激活并分化生成肝细胞和胆管细胞等以参与肝修复 . 基于此理论,人们建立了啮齿类动物肝卵圆细胞诱导实验模型 . 但显然上述模型不适用于人类,所以有必要开发一种适用于人类的、高效的肝卵圆细胞的新诱导模型 . 选用小鼠胚胎干细胞,转成拟胚体分化 3 天后分组,诱导组添加肝细胞生长因子 (HGF) 、表皮生长因子 (EGF) 作定向诱导分化 . 其间用免疫细胞化学 (ICC) 检测肝卵圆细胞标志物 A6 等的表达,用流式细胞仪筛选肝卵圆细胞并行 RT-PCR 、透射电镜检测 . 所筛选的肝卵圆细胞进一步体外培养并进行 ICC 和 RT-PCR ,检测其分化生成成熟的肝细胞和胆管细胞的能力 . 研究证实胚胎干细胞体外定向诱导生成肝实质细胞的过程中,存在着有双向分化能力的肝卵圆细胞这个中间分化阶段 . 诱导组肝卵圆细胞分化率均显著地高于对照组,最高时可达 6.11% 左右 . HGF 和 EGF 能显著性诱导胚胎干细胞源性卵圆细胞的生成 . 流式细胞仪筛选 Sca-1+/CD34+ 细胞占总细胞数的 4.59% ,其中 A6 阳性肝卵圆细胞占 90.81% 左右 . 使用流式细胞仪可获得高富集的 A6+/Sca-1+/CD34+ 肝卵圆细胞 . 提供了一种可适用于人类的肝卵圆细胞的新诱导模型 .     

Interrelationships between bioaccumulation of organic trace pollutants (PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and PAHs), and MFO-induction in fish.

1. Hydrophobic compounds that are more easily biotransformed (e.g. PAHs) generally show less bioaccumulation in fish than the more persistent PCBs and DDTs. 2. In lake Nieuwe Meer, with the highest levels of organic micropollutants, the hepatic MFO activity was elevated in three fish species. This indicates that MFO activity might be a sensitive indicator for organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment. 3. Activities of the 3-MC type inducible isozymes were most pronounced in all three fish species studied. Though further research is required, indications for the existence of a PB-type inducible enzyme system have been demonstrated for two fish species, i.e. pike and eel. 4. Fish liver enlargement as a consequence of MFO induction could not be demonstrated in fish from the most polluted lake. 5. In fish, a correlation was observed between PCB or OCP tissue concentrations on the one hand, and hepatic MFO activities on the other. The low PAH fish/sediment ratios are further reduced when MFO systems are induced due to organic micropollution. The interrelationship between bioaccumulation and enzyme induction demonstrates the importance of an integrated study of these phenomena in field research.     

Liver necrosis and fulminant hepatic failure in rats: protection by oxyanionic form of tungsten

The hepatic lesion produced as a result of oxidative stress is of wide occurrence. In the present study, the effect of tungsten on liver necrosis and fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) has been studied in rats treated with various compounds known to produce oxidative stress. Supplementation of animals with sodium tungstate for 7 weeks before the induction of liver injury by chemicals including thioacetamide (TAA), carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)), or chloroform (CHCl(3)) could protect progression of hepatic injury. Various biochemical changes associated with liver damage and oxidative stress were measured. Hepatic malondialdehyde content, endogenous tripeptide, and reduced glutathione were measured as oxidative stress markers. The activity of xanthine oxidase, which generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a by-product, was also determined and found to be perturbed. Tungsten supplementation to rats caused a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation and lowered the levels of the biochemical markers of hepatic lesions produced by TAA, CCl(4) (CCl(4)), or CHCl(3). Tungsten could also cause an increase in the survival rate in rats receiving lethal doses of TAA, CCl(4), or CHCl(3). The protective effect of tungsten, however, is suggested to be limited to the conditions where the hepatic lesion is reported to be due to the generation of ROS. The progression of liver injury produced by the compounds causing oxidative stress without initiating the generation of free radicals such as bromobenzene (BB), or acetaminophen (AAP), could not be inhibited by tungsten. The possible mechanism explaining the role of oxyanionic form of tungsten in free radical-induced hepatic lesions is discussed.     

大鼠酒精性肝损伤模型及蛋白表达指纹图谱的建立

目的:建立大鼠酒精性肝损伤模型,以蛋白质芯片技术为实验手段对损伤过程中的大鼠血清及肝脏蛋白质变化进行观察,以期获得损伤过程中的蛋白标志物,建立损伤过程蛋白表达指纹图谱;观察有机硒对大鼠肝脏损伤的防护作用。方法:用食用酒精辅以橄榄油对大鼠进行肝损伤,动态检测大鼠肝重比、血清生化指标,并进行肝组织病理切片观察;应用表面加强激光电离解吸飞行时间质谱技术对大鼠肝损伤过程进行跟踪检测,获得蛋白标志物,同时证实有机硒对肝损伤具有一定的防护作用。结果:肝重比、生化指标及病理切片均表明损伤模型已基本建立,同时验证了有机硒的肝损伤保护作用。在12周的损伤过程中,发现大鼠血清中有4个具有统计学意义的蛋白标志物,其相对分子质量(Mr)分别为7010、8307、11624和14041;在肝组织中发现了2个有统计意义的蛋白标志物,其Mr分别为5931.2和7104.6。结论:建立了大鼠酒精性肝损伤模型,获得了血清及肝脏蛋白标志物,为后期进行临床实验提供了可行的研究方法;同时为有机硒应用于临床进行肝损伤防护奠定了良好的实验基础。     

SD大鼠血管内皮细胞的凝集素组织化学研究

为进一步了解大鼠血管内皮细胞表面糖基的分布, 本文应用５ 种生物素化凝集素（ＧＳ－Ｉ、ＲＣＡ－Ｉ、ＷＧＡ、ＣｏｎＡ和ＵＥＡ－Ｉ） 对大鼠心脏、胸主动脉、肝脏和子宫的血管内皮细胞采用ＡＢＣ法标记。结果表明,光镜下, ＧＳ－Ｉ对心脏、胸主动脉、子宫的血管内皮染色阳性; ＲＣＡ－Ｉ对所检组织内血管内皮细胞染色阳性,其中对心脏和肝的血管内皮与血管外组织细胞的染色强度有显著不同; ＣｏｎＡ对肝血窦内皮与对肝细胞的染色强度有明显不同; ＵＥＡ－Ｉ对各脏器血管内皮细胞未见阳性标记。电镜下ＧＳ－Ｉ阳性反应产物位于心肌毛细血管内皮细胞表面。提示, 血管内皮细胞表面存在的某些糖复合物含有Ｄ－半乳糖、Ｎ－乙酰氨基半乳糖、Ｎ－乙酰氨基葡萄糖、Ｄ－甘露糖。ＧＳ－Ｉ可视为心脏、胸主动脉、子宫的血管内皮细胞的特异性标记物。ＲＣＡ－Ｉ既可作为心脏的血管内皮, 亦可作为肝血窦内皮的特异性标记物, ＣｏｎＡ可作为肝血窦内皮的特异性标记物。     

肝再生剌激因子对小鼠实验性急性肝损伤的保护作用

A hepatic stimulator substance (HSS) was extracted from the liver of male weanling SD rats according to the method of LaBrecque. The mice were injected with carbon tetrachloride or D-galactosamine to induce hepatic injuries and the protective effect of HSS on thus induced hepatic damage was investigated. The results were as follows: (1) HSS could suppresses the elevation of sGPT and sGOT induced by carbon tetrachloride intoxication in a dose-dependent manner. (2) Hepatic histological findings indicated that the degree of CCl4 or D-galactosamine-induced hepatic lesions could be lessened by HSS. (3) CCl4-induced reduction of hepatic mitochondrial succinic dehydrogenase activity could be restored by HSS. (4) Insulin-glucagon enhanced the survival of D-galactosamine intoxicated mice and stimulated hepatocyte proliferation, thus showing less pronounced hepatic damage.     

多肽铬螯合物对糖尿病小鼠肝脏蛋白质表达影响的研究

目的：研究多肽铬螯合物对糖尿病小鼠肝脏蛋白质表达的影响,探讨其治疗糖尿病的机理。方法：通过腹腔注射四氧嘧啶建立糖尿病小鼠模型。将小鼠分为正常组模型组和胶铬组,胶铬组以灌胃方式加入多肽铬螯合物;以光镜及HE染色观察三组小鼠肝脏形态及组织学的变化,采用SDS-PAGE实验和非SDS-PAGE检测三组小鼠肝脏蛋白质表达。结果：光镜及组织学观察结果显示多肽铬螯合物可以有效地减轻四氧嘧啶对肝细胞造成的损伤。模型组肝脏25kDa-35kDa之间的某种蛋白表达升高而多肽铬螯合物可以降低此种蛋白的表达,初步推断这种蛋白质为SOD。结论：多肽铬螯合物能够通过降低四氧嘧啶造成的肝脏中抗氧化有美的蛋白盾代偿性升高而起到保护肝脏的作用．是一种新型的治疗糖尿痛所致的肝损伤的活性物盾。     

Hepatic blood flow: accuracy of estimation from galactose clearances in cats

Experiments were carried out to determine the accuracy and validity of estimations of hepatic blood flow from clearance data during infusions of galactose in anesthetized cats. Clearance calculations were compared directly with the measured hepatic blood flows using a hepatic venous long-circuit technique. This technique allowed direct measurement and alteration of hepatic blood flow and collection of arterial and mixed hepatic venous blood samples without depletion of the animal's blood volume. It was found that infusions of galactose could not be used to estimate accurately hepatic blood flow. Infusion rate could not be used as an estimate of hepatic or splanchnic uptake owing to substantial and variable extrasplanchnic uptake. As a result, estimated hepatic flows allowing for incomplete extraction overestimated the true flow. On the other hand, extraction was less than 100%. This caused systemic galactose clearance to underestimate hepatic blood flow. These errors could cancel each other giving an apparently good estimate of hepatic flow from systemic galactose clearance. This agreement was fortuitous and occurred only at a specific dose and blood flow. We conclude that in the absence of independent measurements of both extrasplanchnic uptake and splanchnic extraction of galactose, systemic galactose clearance is not a reliable measure of hepatic blood flow in anesthetized cats. Until proved otherwise, it seems likely that this is also true in humans.     

Protective effects of sulforaphane and aerobic exercise on acute alcoholic hepatic injury in mice

ObjectiveThe paper intends to study the protective effects of sulforaphane (SF) on acute alcoholic hepatic injury in mice by intragastric administration of SF, aerobic exercise and the approach of SF integrated with aerobic exercise.Methodology60 NIH mice were randomly divided into 6 groups of equal number according to their body weight and were intragastrically administrated with 50% ethanol. The serum and liver indexes of each group of mice were detected, and the liver was stained with oil red O for pathological examination.ResultsCompared with the model group, the serum TG and the ratio of liver to body weight of the model mice that suffered from acute alcoholic hepatic injury could be significantly decreased in the group that practiced aerobic exercise, the group administered with SF, and the group treated with the approach of SF integrated with aerobic exercise (P < 0.05). The contents of TG and MDA in liver could be significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and SOD activity could be significantly increased (P < 0.05) both in the group administered with SF and the group treated with the approach of SF integrated with aerobic exercise. Serum VLDL (P < 0.05) could also be significantly reduced in the group treated with the approach of SF integrated with aerobic exercise.ConclusionBoth SF and aerobic exercise could alleviate alcohol-induced acute alcoholic hepatic injury in mice possibly thanks to the working mechanism related to antioxidant stress that reduced the harm posed by alcohol on hepatic cells. In addition, the protective effect of SF on acute alcoholic hepatic injury in mice was stronger than that of aerobic exercise, while the approach of SF integrated with aerobic exercise had the strongest protective effect on acute alcoholic hepatic injury in mice.     

肝再生刺激因子对小鼠实验性急性肝损伤的保护作用

本工作采用雄性初断乳 SD 大鼠肝按 LaBrecque 法提取肝再生刺激因子(HSS),用四氯化碳和半乳糖胺分别损伤小鼠肝来研究 HSS 的保肝作用。结果如后:(1)HSS 可使 CCl_4致肝损伤小鼠的血清 GPT 和 GOT 升高幅度降低,并呈量效关系。(2)肝组织切片表明 HSS 可使 CCl_4损伤肝组织的程度减轻。(3)肝组织化学法表明 HSS 可使 CCl_4损害肝细胞线粒体琥珀酸脱氢酶的活性恢复。(4)胰岛素-胰高糖素可降低半乳糖胺所致的小鼠死亡率,减弱对肝组织的损害和刺激肝细胞增殖,这项实验可作为 HSS 具有保肝作用的证据。     

Quantification of hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in conscious mice using serial blood and urine spots

In vivo studies of hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in (genetically modified) conscious mice are hampered by limitations of blood and urine sample sizes. We developed and validated methods to quantify stable isotope dilution and incorporation in small blood and urine samples spotted onto filter paper. Blood glucose and urinary paracetamol-glucuronic acid were extracted from filter paper spots reproducibly and with high yield. Fractional isotopomer distributions of glucose and paracetamol-glucuronic acid when extracted from filter paper spots were almost identical to those isolated from the original body fluids. Rates of infusion of labeled compounds could be adjusted without perturbing hepatic glucose metabolism. This approach was used in mice to find the optimal metabolic condition for the study of hepatic carbohydrate metabolism. In fed mice, no isotopic steady state was observed during a 6-h label-infusion experiment. In 9-h-fasted mice, isotopic steady state was reached after 3 h of label infusion and important parameters in hepatic glucose metabolism could be calculated. The rate of de novo glucose-6-phosphate synthesis was 143 +/- 17 micromol kg(-1) min(-1) and partitioning to plasma glucose was 79.0 +/- 5.2%. In 24-h-fasted mice, abrupt changes were noticed in whole body and in hepatic glucose metabolism at the end of the experiment.     

Diminished hyperaemic response of the hepatic artery to portal venous occlusion (the buffer response) in Asian hybrid minipigs: a comparison of the response to that observed in dogs

The hyperaemic response of the hepatic artery to portal vein occlusion (the buffer response) and the action of exogenous adenosine upon hepatic artery blood flow was studied in Asian hybrid minipigs as a potential alternative experimental model to that previously developed in dogs. Adenosine produced a dose-dependent hepatic artery vasodilatation, but of lesser extent than that observed in dogs. A greatly diminished buffer response was observed in the pigs compared to that seen in dogs, and could not be replicated consistently. The adenosine uptake inhibitor dipyridamole did not potentiate responses to adenosine or the buffer response. It is concluded that the minipig is an unsuitable alternative model for the study of the hepatic artery buffer response.Abbreviations bw body weight - DPD dipyridamole - GDV gastroduodenal vein - HA hepatic artery - PV portal vein - PVO portal venous occlusion - PVP portal venous pressure - SE standard error     

Increases in biliary cholesterol-to-bile acid ratio in pregnant hamsters fed low and high levels of cholesterol

Gallstones develop when the secretion of cholesterol is elevated compared with the secretion of bile acids into bile. One of the risk factors for the formation of gallstones is pregnancy. Because the pregnancy-induced increase in hepatic cholesterol synthesis rates could play a critical role in the development of cholesterol stones, the aim of the present study was to determine whether stone formation, as assessed by the ratio of cholesterol to bile acids in bile, could be ablated by blocking the pregnancy-induced increase in hepatic sterol synthesis rates. Golden Syrian hamsters were fed either ground chow or chow supplemented with 0.5% cholesterol for 3 wk and studied in the nonpregnant state or in late gestation. In chow-fed animals, a 1.6-fold increase in the ratio of cholesterol to bile acids occurred simultaneously with a sevenfold increase in hepatic sterol synthesis rate and a ninefold increase in the amount of newly synthesized cholesterol secreted into the bile in late gestation. In the cholesterol-fed dams, an increase in the ratio of cholesterol to bile acids occurred even with the lack of induction of hepatic sterol synthesis rates during pregnancy. Thus it appears that the marked induction of hepatic sterol synthesis rates during gestation is not essential for the pregnancy-induced cholesterol saturation of bile when cholesterol is fed to animals.     

三七总皂苷抗肝纤维化作用机制的研究进展

肝纤维化是各种慢性肝病共同的病理基础,是慢性肝病发展到肝硬化、肝癌的必经途径。寻找有效的抗肝纤维化药物是近年研究的热点,其中对三七的研究也取得了很大进展。现综述近几年三七皂苷在保护肝细胞、抑制肝星形细胞活化、促进肝星形细胞凋亡、抑制细胞外基质的合成及促使其降解等方面的作用及可能机制,同时也阐述了三七总皂苷在抗肝纤维化中的重要意义及应用前景。     

Hepatic fibrogenesis using chronic arsenic ingestion: studies in a murine model

Chronic oral arsenic (As) ingestion has been alleged to cause hepatic fibrosis, non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. The present study was aimed to investigate if hepatic fibrogenesis and non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF) is caused by arsenic. A significant increase in the hepatic protein and collagen was seen compared with controls; hepatic 4-hydroxyproline levels, indicative of fibrogenesis, were increased 4-14 folds with different dosages of arsenic compared to the controls. Hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation were negligible to mild in all the groups. None of the animals developed significant splenomegaly or features of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. The results suggest that (i) prolonged oral arsenic ingestion in mice leads to significant hepatic fibrogenesis and collagen synthesis with minimal hepato-cellular injury; (ii) arsenic ingestion alone is unlikely to cause non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis or cirrhosis of liver. This murine model of arsenic feeding could be used for the evaluation of new antifibrotic agents for the liver.