Reverse regulation of hepatic ceruloplasmin production in rat model of myocardial ischemia

BackgroundCeruloplasmin (Cp) is a major copper-binding protein produced in the liver and delivers copper to extrahepatic organs. Patients with myocardial infarction are often featured by an elevation of serum copper concentrations due to copper efflux from ischemic hearts. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that serum copper elevation leads to up-regulation of hepatic Cp in myocardial infarction.MethodsAdult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation to induce myocardial infarction. Serum copper and Cp levels, as well as changes in hepatic Cp and copper-transporting P-type ATPase (Atp7b), were determined from blood and liver samples collected on day 1, 4, or 7 after the operation.ResultsSerum copper concentrations were significantly increased on day 4 after LAD ligation, accompanied by an increase in serum Cp levels and activities. Concomitantly, the protein levels of Cp and copper exporter, Atp7b, were also significantly increased in the liver. Furthermore, inhibiting the increase of serum copper by a copper chelator, triethylenetetramine (TETA), effectively abolished the elevated Cp activity after LAD ligation.ConclusionThese results indicate that serum Cp elevation in response to myocardial ischemia most likely resulted from the increased hepatic Cp production, which in turn was more responsive to serum copper elevation than inflammatory response following myocardial ischemia.     

The pathogenic potential of the combined action of chronic Opisthorchis felineus infection and repeated social defeat stress in C57BL/6 mice

Parasitic food-borne diseases and chronic social stress are frequent attributes of day-to-day human life. Therefore, our aim was to model the combined action of chronic Opisthorchis felineus infection and repeated social defeat stress in C57BL/6 mice. Histological examination of the liver revealed inflammation sites, pronounced periductal fibrosis, and cholangiofibrosis together with proliferation of bile ducts and hepatocyte dystrophy in the infected mice, especially in the stress-exposed ones. Simultaneously with liver pathology, we detected significant structural changes in the cerebral cortex. Immunohistochemical analysis of the hippocampus indicated the highest increase in numerical density of Iba 1-, IL-6-, iNOS-, and Arg1-positive cells in mice simultaneously subjected to the two adverse factors. The number of GFAP-positive cells rose during repeated social defeat stress, most strongly in the mice subjected to both infection and stress. Real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression of genes Aif1 and Il6 differed among the analysed brain regions (hippocampus, hypothalamus, and frontal cortex) and depended on the adverse factors applied. In addition, among the brain regions, there was no consistent increase or decrease in these parameters when the two adverse treatments were combined: (i) in the hippocampus, there was upregulation of Aif1 and no change in Il6 expression; (ii) in the hypothalamus, expression levels of Aif1 and Il6 were not different from controls; and (iii) in the frontal cortex, Aif1 expression did not change while Il6 expression increased. It can be concluded that a combination of two long-lasting adverse factors, O. felineus infection and repeated social defeat stress, worsens not only the hepatic but also brain state, as evidenced behaviorally by disturbances of the startle response in mice.     

慢性乙肝病毒感染患者肝纤维化、肝功能及Th1/Th2细胞因子水平变化及恩替卡韦干预研究

摘要 目的：研究慢性乙肝病毒（HBV）感染患者肝纤维化、肝功能及Th1/Th2细胞因子水平的变化情况,并分析恩替卡韦干预对慢性HBV感染患者相关指标的影响。方法：选择2016年4月至2018年1月我院收治的120例慢性HBV感染者为研究对象,其中慢性乙肝轻度50例、中度24例、重度21例、肝硬化者25例,并选择同期于我院进行体检的50例健康者为健康对照组,分析不同病情慢性HBV感染患者血清中的肝纤维化指标[透明质酸（HA）、Ⅳ型胶原（ⅣC）,层粘连蛋白（LN）、III型前胶原肽（PC III）]、肝功能指标[丙氨酸转氨酶（ALT）、天冬氨酸转移酶（AST）]及Th1/Th2细胞因子[干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）、白介素-2（IL-2）、白介素-4（IL-4）、白介素-6（IL-6）]的变化,慢性HBV感染患者按照随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组,对照组给予还原型谷胱甘肽和复方甘草酸苷等常规护肝治疗,观察组在对照组基础上另口服恩替卡韦分散片治疗,对比两组治疗前后各指标水平。结果：慢性HBV感染患者的肝纤维化指标、肝功能指标及Th1/Th2细胞因子IL-4、IL-6等指标水平均显著高于健康对照组,且随着病情的加重呈逐渐上升趋势;而IFN-γ和IL-2水平均低于健康对照组,随着病情的加重而逐渐降低（P<0.05）。治疗后两组血清肝纤维化指标（HA、ⅣC、LN、PC III）、肝功能指标（ALT、AST）以及IL-4、IL-6水平均显著低于治疗前,且观察组低于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗后两组血清IFN-γ、IL-2水平均高于治疗前,且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：慢性HBV感染患者存在肝纤维化水平上升、肝功能受损及Th1/Th2细胞失衡,恩替卡韦联合常规护肝治疗可有效纠正患者的Th1/Th2细胞失衡,减轻患者的肝纤维化,改善其肝功能。     

莫西沙星联合纤维支气管镜药物灌注对耐多药肺结核患者T细胞亚群、肺功能和肝功能的影响

摘要 目的：探讨莫西沙星联合纤维支气管镜药物灌注对耐多药肺结核患者T细胞亚群、肺功能和肝功能的影响。方法：选取2017年2月~2018年12月期间我院收治的90例耐多药肺结核患者,根据随机数字表法分为对照组（n=45,常规基础治疗）和研究组（n=45,莫西沙星联合纤维支气管镜药物灌注）,比较两组患者痰菌转阴率、病灶吸收率、T细胞亚群、肺功能和肝功能。结果：研究组治疗6个月后的痰菌转阴率为88.89%（40/45）,高于对照组的68.89%（31/45）（P<0.05）。研究组治疗6个月后的病灶吸收率为84.44%（38/45）,高于对照组的64.44%（29/45）（P<0.05）。两组治疗6个月后第1 s用力呼气容积（FEV₁）、用力肺活量（FVC）、每分钟最大通气量（MVV）占预计值百分比、总蛋白(TP)、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺均升高,且研究组高于对照组（P<0.05）;丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、CD8⁺均降低,且研究组低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：莫西沙星联合纤维支气管镜药物灌注治疗耐多药肺结核,可有效阻止疾病进展,同时在改善患者T细胞亚群、肺功能和肝功能方面效果显著。     

Supplementing rabbit diets with butylated hydroxyanisole affects oxidative stress,growth performance,and meat quality

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic antioxidant analogous of vitamin E. It is used as a preservative to prevent free radical-mediated oxidation in high-fat foods, and this study's objective was to investigate the effects of BHA on oxidative stress and apoptosis in addition to delineating its efficacy as a growth-promoting feed additive. 60 weaned male rabbits (V-line) were randomly divided into four equal groups: BHA0.0 (control), BHA50, BHA100, and BHA150, administered basal diets with 0.0, 50, 100, and 150 mg BHA/kg of feed for 60 days. Animals were examined for growth performance, markers of oxidative stress and apoptosis, and meat characteristics. Compared to the control group, rabbits receiving BHA-supplemented diets exhibited increases in BW and average daily gain (P < 0.01), where BHA50 and BHA100 groups showed increased muscle content of methionine aspartic acid, serine, and glutamine (P < 0.05). These two groups also exhibited elevated catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and diminished malondialdehyde levels in the liver. Butylated hydroxyanisole upregulated fatty acid synthase gene (FASN), especially in BHA100 animals. Bcl-2-associated X/B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bax/Bcl-2) ratio significantly increased in animals receiving higher doses of BHA, and the weight of the liver significantly increased following BHA treatment. Supplementing growing rabbits with lower doses of dietary BHA may promote growth performance and meat quality via maintaining the redox balance. Hence, the 50–100 mg/kg may be recommended as a safe and still effective feed additive as well as an oxidative stress attenuator.     

Serum levels of anti-heat shock protein 27 antibodies in patients with chronic liver disease

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), an intracellular molecular chaperone, is involved in the pathogenesis of cancer by promoting both tumor cell proliferation and resistance to therapy. HSP27 is also present in the circulation and circulating HSP27 (sHSP27) can elicit an autoimmune response with production of antibodies. Levels of sHSP27 are enhanced in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); it is, however, unknown whether changes in HSP27 antibody levels occur in patients with HCC and can be exploited as a circulating biomarker of HCC. Our aim was to assess the potential association between newly diagnosed HCC and serum anti-HSP27 antibody levels. In this cross-sectional study, anti-HSP27 antibody levels were measured in serum samples from 71 HCC patients, 80 subjects with chronic liver disease, and 38 control subjects by immunoenzymatic assay. Anti-HSP27 antibody levels did not differ significantly among groups. However, in patients with chronic active hepatitis/cirrhosis, anti-HSP27 levels were significantly higher in subjects with a positive history of alcoholism (p = 0.03). Our data do not support the hypothesis that anti-HSP27 antibody levels may help identify patients with HCC among subjects with chronic liver disease. However, our finding that alcohol-related liver disease is associated with higher anti-HSP27 levels is novel and deserves further investigations.     

益生菌对肝硬化患者肠道菌群和肠道屏障功能的影响

目的探讨益生菌对肝硬化患者肠道菌群、肠道屏障功能及肝脏功能的影响,为肝硬化患者的治疗提供参考。方法选取2017年1月至2019年6月我院收治的60例乙肝肝硬化患者为研究对象。入选患者随机分为观察组和对照组,各30例。对照组患者采用常规治疗,观察组患者在此基础上加用地衣芽孢杆菌胶囊进行治疗。两组患者疗程均为1个月。比较两组患者治疗后肠道菌群、肠道屏障功能、免疫功能、细胞因子水平及肝脏功能变化情况。结果治疗后,对照组患者肠道菌群数量与治疗前比较差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05);观察组患者肠道双歧杆菌、乳杆菌、肠球菌、肠杆菌数量显著高于治疗前及对照组,酵母样真菌数量显著低于治疗前及对照组(均P<0.05)。治疗后,两组患者血清DAO、PCT、ET及D-lac水平均显著降低,同时观察组低于对照组(均P<0.05)。治疗后,观察组患者血清CD3⁺细胞、CD4⁺细胞及CD4⁺/CD8⁺水平均显著上升,同时高于对照组(均P<0.05)。治疗后,两组患者血清IL-2水平显著上升,血清IL-6、TNF-α水平均显著下降(均P<0.05)。治疗后,两组患者Child-Pugh评分,血清TBil、ALT、AST水平均显著降低,且观察组低于对照组(均P<0.05)。结论益生菌可有效调节肠道菌群,提高肠道屏障功能,增强细胞免疫力,减轻炎症反应,改善肝功能,具有较好的辅助治疗作用。     

肝硬化合并结核病患者的临床特征

目的分析肝硬化合并结核病患者的临床特征,为该类患者的治疗提供参考。方法回顾性分析2014年9月至2017年7月于浙江大学医学院附属第一医院住院的肝硬化合并结核病患者的相关资料,总结患者的临床特征。结果共收治68例肝硬化合并结核病患者,其中男性50例(73.5%),女性18例(26.5%),平均年龄(59.9±13.7)岁。在所有患者中,肝硬化最常见的原因是HBV感染(46例,67.7%)和酒精(9例,13.2%)。肺结核(43例)、结核性腹膜炎(13例)、结核性胸膜炎(12例)是最常见的结核类型,此外骨关节结核、结核性脑膜炎、结核性心包炎、泌尿系结核、肠结核、淋巴结结核均可见。该类患者常见临床表现为乏力、腹胀,出现发热的患者不足半数,有盗汗表现的更为罕见。结论肝硬化患者并发结核后可使病情复杂化,增加治疗难度。此外部分患者临床表现不典型,需提高警惕,避免漏诊。     

人体肠道微生态与肝脏免疫关系研究进展

人体微生态学是研究微生物与其宿主相互关系的科学,其中肠道微生态对于人体有最直接的作用。肠道微生态是一个被遗忘的"人体新陈代谢器官",具有维持能量稳态等重要的生理作用。肝脏是人类的重要器官,肝脏中四分之三的血液来自于肠道回流血,其中含有肠道中的细菌产物、环境毒素和食物抗原等。因此肝脏与肠道有最直接的关系。人体肠道微生态中的大量微生物不仅参与调控肠道内的免疫应答,还参与调控肝脏等器官的免疫反应,因此肠道微生态与肝脏免疫密不可分。本文就肠道微生态与肝脏免疫的相关性研究作一综述,以期为人体微生态与肝脏免疫的相关研究提供科学依据。     

Alrp,a survival factor that controls the apoptotic process of regenerating liver after partial hepatectomy in rats

Abstract

Augmenter of Liver Regeneration (Alrp) enhances, through unknown mechanism/s, hepatocyte proliferation only when administered to partially hepatectomized (PH) rats. Liver resection, besides stimulating hepatocyte proliferation, induces reactive oxygen species (ROS), triggering apoptosis. To clarify the role of Alrp in the process of liver regeneration, hepatocyte proliferation, apoptosis, ROS-induced parameters and morphological findings of regenerating liver were studied from PH rats Alrp-treated for 72 h after the surgery. The same parameters, evaluated on regenerating liver from albumin-treated PH rats, were used as control. The results demonstrated that Alrp administration induces the anti-apoptotic gene expression, inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis and reduces ROS-induced cell damage. These and similar data from in vitro studies and the presence of ‘Alrp homologous proteins’ in viruses as well as in mammals (i) allow to hypothesize that Alrp activity/ies may not be exclusive for regenerating liver and (ii) suggest the use of Alrp in the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases.