Biomedical subjects

H Ochi

Publications and source records attributed to H Ochi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

History of allergic disorders in common neurologic diseases in Japanese patients.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the association between past and present history of allergic disorders and neurologic diseases. METHODS: The past and present history of common allergic disorders together with family history was prospectively studied in all out-patients at the Department of Neurology at Kyushu University Hospital from March 1998 to February 2000. RESULTS: Among 3113 out-patients, 2152 (69.1%) completed a questionnaire. Myelitis showed a statistically significant increase of concomitant atopic dermatitis (P=0.006) and concomitant and past atopic dermatitis (P=0.014), as compared with neurologically healthy controls. Moreover, patients with lower motoneuron disease (LMND) had a statistically significant increase of past and concomitant asthma (P=0.007). None of the other common neurologic diseases showed any increase of allergic disorders when compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports the significant association between allergic disorders and such spinal cord diseases as myelitis and LMND in Japanese patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Does bilirubin play a role in the pathogenesis of both cholesterol and pigment gallstone formation? Direct and indirect influences of bilirubin on bile lithogenicity.

Bilirubin is found in the center of cholesterol gallstones, but its pathogenic role in their formation is unknown. Bilirubin causes a disproportionate reduction of biliary lipid secretion without affecting bile salt secretion in association with a change of biliary lecithin species, which modulates the cholesterol crystallization process. Therefore, the present study investigated whether bilirubin can influence the cholesterol crystallization procedure, and the mechanism(s) of any such action. Supersaturated model bile was prepared (taurocholate/lecithin/cholesterol at 71:18:11, a total lipid concentration of 9.0 g/dl, and cholesterol saturation index of 1.8), and cholesterol crystallization was monitored over time using a spectrophotometer and video-enhanced differential contrast microscopy in the absence or presence of bilirubin (at a final concentration of 10 microM, 20 microM, 40 microM, and 100 microM). Bilirubin enhanced the onset of cholesterol crystallization by 50%, whereas the crystal growth rate and final crystal mass were reduced at a high concentration of bilirubin. Taken together, these results suggest that bilirubin influences the cholesterol crystallization process, by either a direct interaction with biliary lipids that alters metastability, an indirect alteration of the bile salt-micellar lipid holding capacity, or both. Thus, bilirubin may play a role in the pathogenesis of both cholesterol and pigment gallstones.

Bile↗

PubMed2001

Th2 shift in mononeuritis multiplex and increase of Th2 cells in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: an intracellular cytokine analysis.

To elucidate the T helper 1 (Th1)/T helper 2 (Th2) balance in various inflammatory neuropathies, we measured the ratio of intracellular interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-positive to IL-4-positive cells (intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio) by flow cytometry in peripheral blood CD4(+) T cells of 14 patients with mononeuritis multiplex (MNM), 12 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), 10 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), 23 patients with neurodegenerative disorders and 36 healthy controls by intracellular labeling. The patients with MNM showed a significantly lower intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio (P<0.05) and higher IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages (P<0.05) than the controls. The increase of IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages was especially prominent in MNM of unknown etiology (P<0.005). The patients with CIDP also showed significantly higher IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages (P<0.05) than the controls. The IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages were increased in some patients with GBS, but the difference was not significant compared with the controls. Thus, our results suggest that a Th2 shift is a characteristic of MNM and may play an important role in the development of the disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Bile-salt hydrophobicity is a key factor regulating rat liver plasma-membrane communication: relation to bilayer structure, fluidity and transporter expression and function.

Bile-salt hydrophobicity regulates biliary phospholipid secretion and subselection. The aim of this study was to determine whether bile salts can influence liver plasma membrane phospholipids and fluidity in relation to the ATP-dependent transporter. Rats were depleted of bile salts by overnight biliary diversion and then sodium taurocholate was infused intravenously at a constant rate (200 nmol/min per 100 g of body weight), followed by infusion of bile salts with various hydrophobicities (taurochenodeoxycholate, tauroursodeoxycholate, tauro-beta-muricholate, tauro-alpha-muricholate at 200 nmol/min per 100 g of body weight). The hydrophobicity of the infused bile salts correlated with that of biliary phospholipids, but was inversely related to that of the canalicular membrane bilayer. Canalicular membrane fluidity (estimated by 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence depolarization) and expression of multidrug-resistance proteins (Mrp2, Mrp3) and apical Na(+)-dependent bile-salt transporter (ASBT) were increased by hydrophilic bile salts, although there was no marked change in the expression of P-glycoprotein subfamilies (Mdr2). Bile-salt export pump (Bsep) expression was increased along with increasing bile-salt hydrophobicity. Bile salts modulate canalicular membrane phospholipids and membrane fluidity, as well as the ATP-dependent transporter expression and function, and these actions are associated with their hydrophobicity. The cytoprotective effect of hydrophilic bile salts seems to be associated with induction of Mrp2, Mrp3 and ASBT.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Tc1/Tc2 and Th1/Th2 balance in Asian and Western types of multiple sclerosis, HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and hyperIgEaemic myelitis.

CD8+ T cells, like CD4+ T cells, can differentiate into at least two subsets with distinct cytokine patterns: Tc1 cells produce Th1-like cytokines and Tc2 cells produce Th2-like cytokines. To clarify the immunopathological roles of Tc1 and Tc2 cells in central nervous system (CNS) inflammation, we examined intracellular cytokines in CD8+ and CD4+ T cells by flow cytometry and analyzed the Tc1/Tc2 balance as well as the Th1/Th2 balance in 80 patients with various CNS inflammatory diseases, including 20 with optico-spinal multiple sclerosis (OS-MS), 21 with conventional MS (C-MS), 22 with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and 17 with hyperIgEaemic myelitis. Twenty-two healthy subjects were also examined as controls. Patients with OS-MS showed a significantly higher percentage of INF-gamma+IL-4- CD8+ T cells as well as CD4+ T cells and a significantly higher intracellular interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)/interleukin-4 (IL-4) ratio both in CD8+ and CD4+ T cells throughout the relapse and remission phases than the healthy controls. Furthermore, the patients with OS-MS showed a significantly lower percentage of INF-gamma-IL-4+ CD4+ T cells as well as CD8+ T cells during the relapse phase than the healthy controls. On the other hand, the patients with C-MS showed a significantly higher percentage of IFN-gamma-IL-4+ CD8+ T cells in addition to more IFN-gamma+IL-4- CD4+ T cells during the relapse phase than the healthy controls. The HAM/TSP patients showed a significantly higher percentage of INF-gamma+IL-4- CD8+ T cells and a significantly higher intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio in CD8+ T cells than the healthy controls. In contrast, in hyperIgEaemic myelitis, in addition to a significantly lower intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio in CD4+ T cells, a tendency toward a lower intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio in CD8+ T cells in comparison to the healthy controls was observed. These results clarified for the first time the distinct Tc1/Tc2 balance in each disease condition as follows: Tc1 cell response is predominant in OS-MS and HAM/TSP, while Tc2 cell response is predominant in hyperIgEaemic myelitis and at relapse phase of C-MS. Furthermore, our results suggest that CD8+ T cells play an adjunctive role in disease induction and the clinical course of MS.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

A new murine oxidative stress model associated with senescence.

A murine oxidative stress model was established via ozone inhalation, which was identified by detection of the response of antioxidant defense system, levels of oxidative products and effects of natural antioxidants on this model. Male BALB/c mice were exposed to 1.2 mg/m(3) ozone for 10 h per day. The control group was exposed to flowing air. From inhaling ozone, mice were killed at day 5, 10, 15 and 20, respectively. Exposure to ozone made mice show the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in heart, kidney and liver, as well as 8-OHdG levels in urine, and resulted in cytological nuclear concentration in brain neurons or thymocytes. Ozone exposure also impaired antioxidative capacity such as the decrease of total antioxidation capacity (TAC) in sera, reduced glutathione (GSH) in sera or thymus and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity in spleen or thymus but not in liver. Correlation analysis showed the significant inverse correlation (r=-0.894, P<0.05) between thymus weight index and inhalation doses of ozone. Meanwhile, thymocyte in model mice proliferated more poorly than normal controls. Catechin and clove extract could reverse parts of changes above induced by ozone inhalation. These results suggest that exposure to ozone can result in an increased production of reactive oxygen species in vivo, which causes oxidative stress. The mice under oxidative stress showed senescence-related alterations in physiological parameters as well. Taken together, our data demonstrates that an oxidative stress model in mice has been successfully established by ozone inhalation, which would be helpful to probe the relationship between oxidative stress and senescence and evaluate effects of antioxidants.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗

PubMed2001

Cyclosporin A reduces canalicular membrane fluidity and regulates transporter function in rats.

Changes of the biliary canalicular membrane lipid content can affect membrane fluidity and biliary lipid secretion in rats. The immunosuppressant cyclosporin A is known to cause intrahepatic cholestasis. This study investigated whether cyclosporin A influenced canalicular membrane fluidity by altering membrane phospholipids or transporter expression. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, a bile-duct cannula was inserted to collect bile, and sodium taurocholate was infused (100 nmol/min per 100 g) for 60 min. During steady-state taurocholate infusion, cyclosporin A (20 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected intravenously and then bile was collected for 80 min. After killing the rats, canalicular membrane vesicles were prepared. Expression of canalicular membrane transporters was assessed by Western blotting and canalicular membrane vesicle fluidity was estimated by fluorescence polarization. Cyclosporin A reduced biliary lipid secretion along with a disproportionate reduction of lipids relative to bile acids. Cyclosporin A significantly decreased canalicular membrane fluidity along with an increase of the cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio. Only expression of the transporter P-glycoprotein was increased by cyclosporin A. Because canalicular membrane transporter expression was largely unchanged by cyclosporin A despite a marked decrease of biliary lipid secretion, transporter activity may partly depend upon canalicular membrane fluidity.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Spinal cord lesions of myelitis with hyperIgEemia and mite antigen specific IgE (atopic myelitis) manifest eosinophilic inflammation.

We report the neuropathological findings of spinal cord specimens obtained from two patients who had localized myelitis with hyperIgEemia and mite antigen specific IgE (atopic myelitis). Both cases showed mild spinal cord dysfunction, and the gadolinium-enhanced area of the isolated spinal cord lesion observed on MRI was biopsied, respectively. Neuropathologically, both cases showed many perivascular lymphocyte cuffings associated with disrupted vessels, and the infiltration of eosinophils in the spinal cord lesions. Both myelin and axons were lost in the lesions, which were associated with astrogliosis. These findings suggest that an allergic mechanism may play a role in this condition.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Positron emission tomography with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose of uterine sarcoma: a comparison with magnetic resonance imaging and power Doppler imaging.

OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness of positron emission tomography with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) for diagnosis of uterine sarcoma was evaluated in comparison to the effectiveness of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and power Doppler imaging. METHOD: The cases of five Osaka City University Hospital patients diagnosed with uterine sarcoma based on histopathological examination, in whom FDG-PET, MR imaging, and power Doppler imaging studies had been performed preoperatively, were reviewed. A comparative study of the usefulness of these three imaging modalities for diagnosis of sarcoma was conducted. Tumors comprised three leiomyosarcomas, one endometrial stromal sarcoma, and one carcinosarcoma. RESULTS: FDG-PET examinations were 100% positive for the five sarcomas; MR imagings were 80% positive (four of five cases), and US was 40% positive (two of five cases). The mean standardized uptake value of the sarcomas was 4.5 +/- 1.3. CONCLUSION: The sarcoma lesions were clearly imaged by FDG-PET. FDG-PET may be a most useful diagnostic method for uterine sarcoma.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Diagnostic usefulness of FDG PET for pancreatic mass lesions.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of [18F]2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with a pancreatic mass by comparing the results with those of X-ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. METHODS: Eighty-six patients with pancreatic lesions, included 65 malignant tumors and 21 benign masses (55 masses were proven histologically and the others were diagnosed clinically), were studied. The diagnostic factors of CT and MR imaging were evaluated, and those of FDG PET were also evaluated for malignant and benign masses by visual interpretation and quantitative interpretation with the standardized uptake value (SUV) and SUVgluc which was designed to reduce the effects of a high blood sugar level. Visual interpretations were evaluated only in FDG PET images, and quantitative interpretations were evaluated by referring to CT and/or MR imaging. The correlation between SUV and the degree of histological differentiation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was investigated. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy for CT imaging were 91, 62, 88, 68 and 84%, and for MR imaging 78, 70, 88, 54 and 76%, respectively. In visual interpretation of FDG PET images, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy were 82, 81, 93, 59 and 81%, respectively. Significant differences between malignant and benign lesions existed in SUV and SUVgluc (p < 0.0001, each). With the cutoff value of SUV as 2.1 and SUVgluc as 2.2, the accuracy of diagnosis was maximal. With that cutoff value, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy for SUV were 89, 76, 92, 70 and 86%, and for SUVgluc 91, 76, 92, 73 and 87%, respectively. The sensitivity and NPV of SUVgluc were higher than those of SUV, which suggests that SUVgluc may be more useful in reducing the number of overlooked malignant tumors. The specificity and PPV of FDG PET were superior to those of CT and MR imaging. There were no significant differences between the SUVs of moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas and those of well differentiated adenocarcinomas. CONCLUSION: To improve the diagnostic procedure for classifying masses, FDG PET with not only SUV but also SUV corrected by the blood sugar level is required in addition to morphological diagnosis by CT and/or MR imaging.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

A case of tuberculous peritonitis monitored by gallium-67 scintigraphy.

An 18-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for further examination of fever of unknown origin and ascites. Ga-67 scintigraphy revealed diffuse increased uptake throughout the abdomen. He was diagnosed with tuberculous peritonitis and began the treatment for tuberculosis (rifampicin, 450 mg/day orally and isoniazid, 300 mg/day orally, and 0.75 g of streptomycin by intramuscular injection 2 times a week). One year after starting the treatment, Ga-67 scintigraphy revealed accumulation of radioactivity in the upper abdomen, but the diffuse accumulation in the abdomen decreased. A specimen obtained by tumor biopsy under ultrasonic guidance revealed a tuberculous granuloma. Percutaneous injection was performed in the tumor with 1.0 g of streptomycin. On Ga-67 scintigraphy performed 2 weeks after the injection of streptomycin, the accumulation of radioactivity in the upper abdomen had disappeared. These findings suggest that Ga-67 scintigraphy is useful for diagnosis and observation during treatment of tuberculous peritonitis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Mesenteric desmoid with uptake on gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy.

A 72-year-old man was hospitalized for further evaluation of a space-occupying lesion in the abdomen. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a tumor 40 mm in diameter in the abdomen. Anterior Ga-67 citrate scintigraphy revealed a region of accumulation of radioactivity in the abdomen corresponding to the tumor. Mesenteric desmoid was diagnosed on the basis of histological findings for the excised tumor. These finding suggested that mesenteric desmoid may be one of the tumors which show high uptake of Ga-67.

Abdominal Pain↗

PubMed2001

A case of glucagonoma with high uptake on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

Glucagonomas are relatively rare, and can be difficult to differentiate from other pancreatic tumors. A 62-year-old woman who had suffered from diabetes mellitus was hospitalized for further evaluation of a space-occupying lesion in the head of the pancreas and tumors in the liver. F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed accumulation of isotope corresponding to a tumor of the pancreas with a standardized uptake value of 4.3, and tumors in the liver with standardized uptake values of 2.4 and 2.8. The serum glucagon level was high (1,170 pg/ml) and the secretin tolerance test was negative. She was diagnosed with glucagonoma with a high serum glucagon level and clinical findings. It is suggested that glucagonoma may be one of the tumors which show high uptake of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose.

Biological Transport↗

PubMed2001

Accessory spleen in the pelvis diagnosed by Tc-99m phytate scintigraphy.

We report a 58-year-old woman with an accessory spleen in the left side of the pelvis. She visited our outpatient clinic complaining of lower abdominal discomfort. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a tumor 4 cm in diameter in the left side of the pelvis. Color Doppler ultrasonography demonstrated plentiful pulsating blood flow. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed that the blood supply for the tumor was from a branch of the splenic artery. Scintigraphy with Tc-99m phytate revealed accumulation of radioactivity concordant with a mass in the left side of the pelvis, and the spleen was normally visualized. These findings suggested that this tumor was an accessory spleen, and the patient underwent no further invasive procedures.

Female↗

PubMed2001

Physiological FDG uptake in the palatine tonsils.

In clinical F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) studies of the head and neck region, remarkable symmetric tonsillar FDG uptake is sometimes observed. We determined the incidence and degree of tonsillar FDG uptake and investigated the significance of tonsillar FDG uptake. Between June 1998 and August 1998, we obtained informed consent from 17 patients who were scheduled to undergo a FDG-PET study for their own disease (11 men and 6 women; aged 22 to 77 yr) and who did not have head and neck disease to perform FDG-PET scanning of the head and neck region in addition to their target organs. The incidence and degree of tonsillar FDG uptake were determined. Remarkable tonsillar FDG uptake was found in 9 patients. The SUVs of these FDG uptakes ranged from 2.48 to 6.75, with a mean of 4.29 +/- 1.20 (SD). Tonsillar FDG uptakes in the remaining 8 patients were not remarkable, and their SUVs ranged from 1.93 to 3.31, with a mean of 2.46 +/- 0.45. Head and neck disease does not appear to have been responsible for the increase in tonsillar FDG uptake. Differences among tonsillar FDG uptake in these 17 patients without head and neck disease appear to reflect differences in activity of "physiological" inflammation of the palatine tonsils.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Dose-dependent conjugation of sulfobromophthalein and hepatic transit time in bile fistula rats: role of the microtubule-dependent vesicle pathway.

Sulfobromophthalein (BSP) is selectively taken up by the liver and secreted into the bile as unconjugated and conjugated forms. Our previous study demonstrated that unconjugated BSP, but not conjugated BSP, caused the dissociation of biliary lipid secretion from that of bile acids, suggesting that the hepatic BSP conjugation rate partly regulated biliary lipid secretion. To evaluate the mechanisms through which biliary lipid secretion is regulated by exogenous organic anions, we intravenously administered BSP to male Sprague-Dawley rats at various doses either continuously or as a bolus. Then the relationship of the dose of BSP to its conjugation rate, hepatic transit time, and biliary lipid secretion was determined. BSP decreased biliary secretion of cholesterol and phospholipids in a dose-dependent manner without affecting bile acid secretion. In contrast, the proportion of conjugated BSP in bile was associated with the dose. Although the serum clearance of BSP after bolus infusion was constant regardless of the dose administered (50 or 200 nmol/100 g), BSP secretion was delayed with increasing doses: unconjugated BSP was secreted predominantly in the early phase (0-15 min after bolus injection), and conjugated BSP was the predominant form in the late phase (15-30 min). Pretreatment with colchicine reduced the conjugation rate and hepatic transit time of BSP, suggesting that the microtubule-dependent vesicle pathway plays a role in biliary excretion and conjugation of BSP. We conclude that biliary lipid secretion is influenced by organic anions with an affinity for bile acids such as BSP and that this effect is dependent upon the hepatic metabolic rate, i.e., conjugation rate. The hepatic transit time also plays a key role in this process by influencing metabolism.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Modifying hepatic phospholipid synthesis associates with biliary phospholipid secretion rate in a transporter-independent manner in rats: relation to canalicular membrane fluidity.

Biliary phospholipid secretion is mediated by a multidrug resistance gene product, and its molecular subselection occurs at the site of secretion to modulates bile metastability. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of modifying hepatic phospholipid synthesis on canalicular phospholipid transporter expression and membrane fluidity. Bile-duct cannulation was performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with or without intravenous infusion of dimethylethanolamine, an intermediate phospholipid metabolite along the pathway of phosphatidylcholine synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methylation (0.01 mg/min/100 g body wt) for 15 hr, followed by sodium taurocholate infusion (50 nmol/min/100 g body wt) with or without sulfobromophthalein (50 nmol/min/100 g body wt). Dimethylethanolamine enhanced biliary phospholipid secretion in association with a decrease in biliary phospholipid hydrophobicity. Dimethylethanolamine also increased canalicular membrane fluidity defined by 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence depolarization, whereas the expression of multidrug resistance gene product and multidrug resistance associated protein was unchanged. In contrast, a disproportionate reduction of biliary phospholipid secretion caused by sulfobromophthalein (uncoupling) was enhanced by under the treatment with dimethylethanolamine. In conclusion, the increase in biliary phospholipid secretion and canalicular membrane fluidity without a drastic change of its canalicular transporter by dimethylethanolamine suggests that such a canalicular membrane fluidity facilitates the transporter activity and/or phospholipid molecular movement from the canalicular outer membrane into the bile. A more drastic reduction in phospholipid secretion under sulfobromophthalein-caused uncoupling indicates the possibility of a preferential distribution of relatively hydrophilic phosphatidylcholine molecules to bile salt micelles since sulfobromophthalein is known to reduce the micellar capacity to extract membrane lipids for biliary secretion.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Phospholipid alterations in hepatocyte membranes and transporter protein changes in cholestatic rat model.

Biliary components are transported by hepatic adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) transporters that are located in canalicular membranes. Physiological transporter function is related to membrane fluidity, which is modulated by the phospholipid composition of the lipid bilayer. We hypothesized that cholestasis may alter transporter function by modifying phospholipid species to protect the cell from cholestatic damage. Therefore, we examined the expression of ABC transport proteins and their mRNA levels in canalicular membrane vesicles isolated from rat liver 6 hr or three days after bile duct ligation. Membrane lipid composition and membrane fluidity of both sinusoidal and canalicular membrane vesicles were also examined. By 6 hr after bile duct ligation, we found a clear increase of mdr2 and bsep mRNA. These changes were associated with an increase of mdr-Pgp and with a clear decrease of mrp2 protein, and small decrease of bsep protein. In addition, mdrlb mRNA showed a strong increase by three days after bile duct ligation. Canalicular membrane fluidity decreased in a marked time-dependent manner, whereas sinusoidal membranes showed biphasic changes: increased fluidity at 6 hr and a decrease at three days. These changes were closely related to the changes of membrane lipid constitution; the saturated/unsaturated fatty acid ratio increased for phosphatidylcholine in canalicular membrane and the reverse occurred in sinusoidal membrane, and those for sphingomyelin showed the opposite pattern. We conclude that cholestasis causes modulation of ABC transporters as well as that of the lipid constitution in lipid bilayer. These may confer cytoprotective resistance to hepatocytes against cholestatic stress.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗