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PubMed1999

Effects of load and tone on the mechanics of isolated human bronchial smooth muscle.

Isotonic and isometric properties of nine human bronchial smooth muscles were studied under various loading and tone conditions. Freshly dissected bronchial strips were electrically stimulated successively at baseline, after precontraction with 10(-7) M methacholine (MCh), and after relaxation with 10(-5) M albuterol (Alb). Resting tension, i.e., preload determining optimal initial length (Lo) at baseline, was held constant. Compared with baseline, MCh decreased muscle length to 93 +/- 1% Lo (P < 0.001) before any electrical stimulation, whereas Alb increased it to 111 +/- 3% Lo (P < 0.01). MCh significantly decreased maximum unloaded shortening velocity (0.045 +/- 0.007 vs. 0.059 +/- 0.007 Lo/s), maximal extent of muscle shortening (8.4 +/- 1.2 vs. 13.9 +/- 2.4% Lo), and peak isometric tension (6.1 +/- 0.8 vs. 7.2 +/- 1.0 mN/mm2). Alb restored all these contractile indexes to baseline values. These findings suggest that MCh reversibly increased the number of active actomyosin cross bridges under resting conditions, limiting further muscle shortening and active tension development. After the electrically induced contraction, muscles showed a transient phase of decrease in tension below preload. This decrease in tension was unaffected by afterload levels but was significantly increased by MCh and reduced by Alb. These findings suggest that the cross bridges activated before, but not during, the electrically elicited contraction may modulate the phase of decrease in tension below preload, reflecting the active part of resting tension.

Albuterol↗

PubMed1999

Lower serum zinc in relation to serum albumin and proinflammatory cytokines in detoxified alcohol-dependent patients without apparent liver disease.

Recently, it was reported that there may be an activation of the inflammatory response system in detoxified alcohol-dependent patients without apparent liver disease (AWLD). The aims of the present study were to examine serum zinc (Zn) concentrations, total serum protein (TSP) and patterns obtained in the electrophoretically separated protein fractions in relation to serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 concentrations in detoxified AWLD patients. Zn, TSP, SP electrophoresis, and serum IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations were determined in detoxified AWLD patients and age-matched healthy volunteers. Serum Zn, TSP and the serum concentrations of albumin (Alb) and the beta fraction were significantly lower in detoxified AWLD patients than in healthy volunteers. The percentage of the alpha2 fraction was significantly higher in detoxified AWLD patients. Lower serum Zn in detoxified AWLD patients was attributable to lowered serum Alb. Lower serum Alb was significantly and negatively correlated to increased serum IL-8. The percentage of the alpha1 and alpha2 fractions were significantly and positively related to serum IL-6 and IL-8. The results show that there is an in vivo activation of the inflammatory response system in detoxified AWLD patients and that lower serum Zn may be causally related to lower serum Alb.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effectiveness of coagulation factor XIII concentrate for reversing loss of tensile strength of rat intestinal anastomoses.

BACKGROUND: Blood coagulation factor XIII (F-XIII) promotes cross-linking of fibrin during blood coagulation. Impaired clot stabilization in patients with genetic deficiencies of F-XIII is associated with marked pathologies of wound healing. METHODS: 60 rats given carbon tetrachloride underwent ileal anastomosis after which they received albumin (Alb animals) or F-XIII concentrate (F-XIII animals) immediately after surgery and daily thereafter until day 2 or 4 and were euthanized on day 3 or 5, respectively, or until day 5 and were euthanized on day 7, 10, or 21. We measured the plasma F-XIII activity and anastomotic tensile strength, followed by immunohistochemical localization of F-XIII subunit A within anastomoses. RESULTS: On day 3, there were no significant differences between Alb and F-XIII animals for plasma F-XIII activity and tensile strength, and both groups of animals showed little immunostaining for F-XIII on anastomoses. Plasma F-XIII activities did not differ between Alb and F-XIII animals on day 5 (115.8 +/- 16.8 vs. 137.3 +/- 14.9%). Although the tensile strength in both groups was increased compared with that of day 3, that in F-XIII animals (129.8 +/- 3.3 gf) was significantly higher than that in Alb animals (100.8 +/- 5.3 gf, p = 0.014). F-XIII animals showed de novo collagen fibers and intense immunoreactivity of F-XIII in the extracellular matrix around the anastomoses. Similar differences occurred on day 7 but not days 10 and 21. CONCLUSIONS: F-XIII concentrate may accelerate the early healing process of intestinal anastomosis because of the protein's accumulation in situ.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

PubMed1989

Significance of initial plasma steroid concentrations in the prognosis of 'nonendocrine' malignant ovarian tumors.

The prognostic value of progesterone (P), androstenedione (A), Estradiol, Testosterone, 20 alpha-hydroxy-progesterone, sex hormone binding globulin, and albumin (Alb) was investigated in 51 women with ovarian carcinoma. All patients had observation periods greater than 5 years. The plasma concentrations of P, A, and Alb and the P/Alb and A/Alb ratios showed a significant correlation with the observation time of the patients. P, P/Alb, Alb, and A/Alb separately or in combination showed the highest prognostic specificity and sensitivity. The patients with a plasma concentration above an optimal limit or above mean + 2 SD of a control group of 20 postmenopausal women were grouped together. The groups with P/Alb, A, A/Alb, and Alb above the limit showed an equal survival rate as patients in FIGO stage IV. Patients with a high A/Alb ratio and a high testosterone concentration showed an even poorer prognosis than FIGO stage IV patients. Among the patients in stage IV the A/Alb ratio and sex hormone binding globulin gave additional prognostic information on the stage. The steroid concentration is not only related to tumor volume, as shown earlier, but also reflects the prognosis of the disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Transfer of bilirubin covalently bound to 125I-albumin from blood to brain in the Gunn rat newborn.

Transfer of bilirubin covalently bound to albumin (Alb.B) from blood into brain was examined in Gunn rats at postnatal day 3, 7, 14, 28 or 70. The ratio of the 125I-Alb.B concentration in the brain to that in the plasma 2 h after the injection (RAB) was used as a criterion for Alb.B transfer. RAB in brain decreased with age until day 28. Significant correlations were indicated between 125I-Alb.B plasma levels and those in the brain at days 7 and 14, but not at day 28. These results suggested that 125I-Alb.B could transfer from the blood to the brain until day 14. Comparison of the relative amount of radioactivity accumulated in the brain by a 125I-Alb.B injection with that of 125I-albumin alone revealed higher radioactivity in the former than the latter only at day 14, suggesting a transient appearance of particular cellular elements with high affinity to bilirubin in the developmental stage of the brain.

Aging↗

PubMed1989

Effect of superoxide dismutase on myocardial infarct size in the canine heart after 6 hours of regional ischemia and reperfusion: a demonstration of myocardial salvage.

Available data demonstrate that oxygen free radicals and derived reactive species of oxygen are produced during myocardial ischemia as well as upon reperfusion of the ischemic tissue. The present study was designed to determine if polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD), with its extended plasma half-life in excess of 30 hours in contrast to the native form of the enzyme (Native-SOD), could provide protection to the ischemic myocardium subjected to a 6-hour regional ischemia followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. We hypothesized that myocardial injury due to an ischemic interval is a dynamic process involving the sustained production of cytotoxic oxygen radicals that may continue beyond the ischemic interval. The ability to demonstrate a protective effect of the free radical scavenger enzyme superoxide dismutase would require the continued presence of the antioxidant during the ischemic interval and especially during reperfusion. To test this hypothesis, 22 anesthetized, open-chest dogs underwent 6 hours of circumflex coronary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. Rapid administration of either Native-SOD (1,000 U/kg), PEG-SOD (1,000 U/kg), PEG-albumin (PEG-ALB), or 0.9% sodium chloride solution for injection (saline) was administered via the left atrium 15 minutes before occlusion of the vessel. A continuous infusion of an additional 1,000 U/kg of the respective enzyme interventions or an equivalent volume of PEG-ALB or saline was given during the 6-hour coronary artery occlusion and terminated 15 minutes after reperfusion. The animals were euthanized 24 hours after reperfusion, and the myocardial region at risk and the infarct region were quantitated by the tetrazolium method. The area of myocardium at risk of infarction, expressed as a percent of the left ventricle, did not differ among the groups: Native-SOD (n = 8), 46.2 +/- 1.8%; PEG-SOD (n = 6), 45.7 +/- 2.1%; PEG-ALB, 38.4 +/- 2.3% (n = 4); and saline 46.0 +/- 2.1% (n = 4). Hemodynamic parameters, the calculated rate-pressure-product, as well as regional myocardial blood flow (radiolabeled microsphere method) in the endocardial, midmyocardial, and epicardial segments of the risk and the nonrisk regions were comparable for all groups. Mean infarct size, determined 24 hours after reperfusion, in the group treated with PEG-SOD was 47.1 +/- 2.9% of the area at risk (n = 6), significantly smaller than that observed in each of the other treatment groups: Native-SOD, 63.5 +/- 2.2% (n = 8); PEG-ALB, 64.6 +/- 2.4% (n = 4); saline, 70.8 +/- 2.2% (n = 4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Improving nutritional screening of hospitalized patients: the role of prealbumin.

BACKGROUND: Limited resources prevent hospitals from having all patients formally evaluated by a nutrition expert. Thus, hospitals rely on nutrition-screening tools to identify malnourished patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a nutrition-screening protocol, prealbumin (PAB), retinol binding protein (RBP), and albumin (ALB) in identifying malnourished hospitalized patients. METHODS: A nutrition screening protocol was prospectively used in medical and surgical patients and consisted of a nurse administering a questionnaire to patients and requesting formal evaluation by a registered dietitian (RD) only if nutritional issues were identified. Patients also had ALB, PAB, and RBP drawn, which were used to both screen and identify the malnourished. PAB, RBP, and ALB were compared as predictors of RD classification of patient nutritional status. RESULTS: The nutrition-screening protocol classified 104 of 320 patients (33%) as malnourished. However, 43% of the patients were not deemed at nutritional risk according to this protocol and therefore did not receive RD assessment. PAB was a significant predictor of RD-determined nutritional status (p < .05), whereas RBP and ALB were not. PAB screening/assessment identified 50% (162/320) of the patients as being malnourished. Notably, 50% of the patients (71 of 142) who were not evaluated by an RD were identified as malnourished using PAB criteria. The nutrition-screening protocol took 1.2 days longer to determine malnourishment compared with PAB (p = .0021). CONCLUSIONS: Use of screening questionnaires may miss or delay identification of malnourished patients. PAB screening/assessment may improve identification of those patients requiring nutrition intervention and thus enhance the care of hospitalized individuals.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Albumin and collagen mRNA expression in normal and analbuminemic rodent liver: analysis by in situ hybridization using biotinylated probes.

We used in situ nucleic acid hybridization cytochemistry to examine cell types and subcellular sites expressing albumin (alb) or pro alpha 2 collagen (col) mRNA in livers from normal and analbuminemic rodents. Biotinylated cDNA or RNA probes were applied to aldehyde-fixed, non-frozen sections and the resulting DNA-RNA or RNA-RNA hybrids were subsequently visualized by enzymatic detection of either peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase conjugated to anti-biotin IgG or streptavidin. In normal rat liver, alb mRNA was expressed in all hepatocytes and was localized to discrete subcellular structures distributed as aggregates in the cytoplasm and in specific structures encircling the nucleus; these subcellular structures most likely represent the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope. In mouse liver, pro alpha 2 col mRNA was identified in a subpopulation of sinusoidal lining cells which have the morphological appearance of lipocytes. In liver from analbuminemic rats, a small number of hepatocytes, distributed throughout the hepatic lobule, expressed alb mRNA at high levels; the subcellular distribution of this alb mRNA was essentially identical to that observed in normal rat hepatocytes. Since non-radioactive in situ hybridization detected mRNA within the boundaries of individual cells and showed its precise subcellular location under conditions in which there was excellent preservation of tissue morphology, this procedure should be useful for a wide variety of histopathologic studies.

Albumins↗

PubMed2004

Responses of Mastomys coucha, that have been infected with Brugia malayi and treated with diethylcarbamazine or albendazole, to re-exposure to infection.

The responses of Mastomys coucha to re-exposure to infection with homologous infective larvae (L(3)) of Brugia malayi were investigated, after initial infections with the nematode had been treated subcutaneously for 5 days with diethylcarbamazine (DEC; 150 mg citrate/kg. day) or albendazole (ALB; 50 mg/kg. day). The parasite burdens, serum concentrations of IgG reacting with a soluble somatic extract of adult B. malayi (BmAS), and cytokine and lymphocyte-proliferative responses to filarial antigen (BmAS) or mitogen (concanavilin A or lipopolysaccharide) were studied. The results demonstrated, for the first time, that re-infection with L(3) was only successful in the DEC-treated animals, not the ALB-treated ones. When the ALB-treated animals were re-exposed, interferon-gamma production decreased, lymphocyte-proliferative responses either remained the same (with concanavilin A) or decreased (with BmAS), and concentrations of specific IgG decreased. When the DEC-treated animals were re-exposed, microfilaraemias re-appeared and, although production of interferon-gamma decreased, there were no detectable lymphocyte proliferative responses, and concentrations of specific IgG remained unchanged. Taken together, the results indicate that, at least in the M. coucha model of human filariasis, ALB but not DEC treatment may help to prevent the development of re-infections.

Albendazole↗

PubMed2005

Halothane potentiates the alcohol-adduct induced TNF-alpha release in heart endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND: The possibility exists for major complications to occur when individuals are intoxicated with alcohol prior to anesthetization. Halothane is an anesthetic that can be metabolized by the liver into a highly reactive product, trifluoroacetyl chloride, which reacts with endogenous proteins to form a trifluoroacetyl-adduct (TFA-adduct). The MAA-adduct which is formed by acetaldehyde (AA) and malondialdehyde reacting with endogenous proteins, has been found in both patients and animals chronically consuming alcohol. These TFA and MAA-adducts have been shown to cause the release of inflammatory products by various cell types. If both adducts share a similar mechanism of cell activation, receiving halothane anesthesia while intoxicated with alcohol could exacerbate the inflammatory response and lead to cardiovascular injury. METHODS: We have recently demonstrated that the MAA-adduct induces tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) release by heart endothelial cells (HECs). In this study, pair and alcohol-fed rats were randomized to receive halothane pretreatments intra peritoneal. Following the pretreatments, the intact heart was removed, HECs were isolated and stimulated with unmodified bovine serum albumin (Alb), MAA-modified Alb (MAA-Alb), Hexyl-MAA, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and supernatant concentrations of TNF-alpha were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Halothane pre-treated rat HECs released significantly greater TNF-alpha concentration following MAA-adduct and LPS stimulation than the non-halothane pre-treated in both pair and alcohol-fed rats, but was significantly greater in the alcohol-fed rats. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that halothane and MAA-adduct pre-treatment increases the inflammatory response (TNF-alpha release). Also, these results suggest that halothane exposure may increase the risk of alcohol-induced heart injury, since halothane pre-treatment potentiates the HEC TNF-alpha release measured following both MAA-Alb and LPS stimulation.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Hydroxyethyl starch as a priming solution for cardiopulmonary bypass impairs hemostasis after cardiac surgery.

UNLABELLED: We investigated the influence of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) as a priming solution for the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit on postoperative hemostasis in 45 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting. In a randomized sequence, 20 mL/kg of low-molecular-weight HES (HES 120; molecular weight 120,000 daltons), high-molecular-weight HES (HES 400; molecular weight 400,000 daltons), or 4% human albumin (ALB) was used as the main component of the CPB priming solution. The thromboelastographic values indicating the speed of solid clot formation (alpha-angle) and the strength of the fibrin clot (maximum amplitude and shear elastic modulus) were decreased up to 2 h after CPB in both HES groups. Four hours after the operation, blood loss through the chest tubes had increased in the HES groups: HES 120, mean 804 mL (range, 330-1390 mL); HES 400, mean 1008 mL (range, 505-1955 mL); and ALB, mean 681 mL (range, 295-1500 mL) (P < 0.05 between the HES 400 and ALB groups). We conclude that HES solutions, when given in doses of 20 mL/kg in connection with the CPB prime, compromise hemostasis after cardiac surgery. This effect appears related to formation of a less stable thrombus compared with that formed in the presence of ALB. IMPLICATIONS: The influence of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on postoperative hemostasis was investigated in cardiac surgery. The thromboelastographic values indicated that HES solutions, when given in connection with the cardiopulmonary bypass prime, compromise hemostasis after cardiac surgery. This effect seems to occur through the formation of a less stable clot.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

A quantitative ELISA using monoclonal antibody to survey paeoniflorin and albiflorin in crude drugs and traditional Chinese herbal medicines.

This work describes an immunochemical approach for the quality control of Paeoniae Radix by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on determination of the total concentration of paeoniflorin (PF) and albiflorin (Alb), which are major bioactive constituents in Paeoniae Radix. Four hybridromas secreting monoclonal antibodies against PF and Alb were produced by fusing splenocytes from a mouse immunized by a PF-bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugate with the hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT)-sensitive mouse myeloma cell line, P3-X63-Ag8-653. A relatively higher reactivity of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with PF and Alb than oxypaeoniflorin (OP) and benzoylpaeoniflorin (BP) was observed, while other monoterpenes and benzoic acid did not cross-react. When PF was used as a standard, the assay can cover a measuring range of 20-600 ng/ml for PF and Alb. A series of Paeoniae Radix samples have been determined, and the results showed good agreement with that determined by traditional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The developed competitive ELISA was 100 times more sensitive than the HPLC method. Meanwhile, fifteen Chinese traditional prescriptions were determined by the competitive ELISA.

Animals↗

PubMed2024

Causal association of menstrual reproductive factors on the risk of osteoarthritis: A univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: Several observational studies have revealed a potential relationship between menstrual reproductive factors (MRF) and osteoarthritis (OA). However, the precise causal relationship remains elusive. This study performed Mendelian randomization (MR) to provide deeper insights into this relationship. METHODS: Utilizing summary statistics of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we conducted univariate MR to estimate 2 menstrual factors (Age at menarche, AAM; Age at menopause, AMP) and 5 reproductive factors (Age at first live birth, AFB; Age at last live birth, ALB; Number of live births, NLB; Age first had sexual intercourse, AFSI; Age started oral contraceptive pill, ASOC) on OA (overall OA, OOA; knee OA, KOA and hip OA, HOA). The sample size of MRF ranged from 123846 to 406457, and the OA sample size range from 393873 to 484598. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary MR analysis methods, and MR Egger, weighted median was performed as supplements. Sensitivity analysis was employed to test for heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Finally, multivariable MR was utilized to adjust for the influence of BMI on OA. RESULTS: After conducting multiple tests (P<0.0023) and adjusting for BMI, MR analysis indicated that a lower AFB will increase the risk of OOA (odds ratio [OR] = 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-0.99, P = 3.39×10-4) and KOA (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.47-0.78, P = 1.07×10-4). ALB (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.45-0.84, P = 2.06×10-3) and Age AFSI (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53-0.82, P = 2.42×10-4) were negatively associated with KOA. In addition, our results showed that earlier AMP adversely affected HOA (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01-1.23, P = 0.033), and earlier ASOC promote the development of OOA (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-1.00, P = 0.032) and KOA (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40-0.84, P = 4.49×10-3). ALB (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-1.00, P = 0.030) and AFSI (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99, P = 2.66×10-3) also showed a negative association with OOA but they all did not pass multiple tests. The effects of AAM and NLB on OA were insignificant after BMI correction. CONCLUSION: This research Certificates that Early AFB promotes the development of OOA, meanwhile early AFB, ALB, and AFSI are also risk factors of KOA. Reproductive factors, especially those related to birth, may have the greatest impact on KOA. It provides guidance for promoting women's appropriate age fertility and strengthening perinatal care.

Humans↗

PubMed1996

Regulated expression of artificial chimeric genes contained in retroviral vectors: implications for virus-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (VDEPT) and other gene therapy applications.

Replication-defective retroviral vectors were created that contained chimeric genes composed of either the albumin (ALB) or the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) transcriptional regulatory sequences linked to the coding domain of the thymidine kinase gene from Varicella zoster virus (VZV TK). These viruses were used to infect the human hepatoblastoma cell line, HepG2. Subsequent to infection, the infected cells were single-cell cloned. The level of expression of VZV TK from the chimeric genes correlated with the level of endogenous expression of ALB or AFP in most clones, indicating that the transcription of the chimeric VZV TK gene is controlled in a similar manner to the endogenous ALB or AFP genes, and that sites of viral integration are less important to overall gene expression. Most importantly, as the expression of the endogenous ALB gene was modified, so was expression of VZV TK from the ALB/VZV TK chimeric gene. This demonstrates that retroviruses can deliver a chimeric gene containing tissue-specific transcriptional regulatory sequences that can respond to endogenous cell regulatory signals resulting in regulated gene expression.

Albumins↗

PubMed2005

Expression of albumin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 in tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma patients with cirrhosis.

AIM: To explore the expression of albumin (ALB), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 in tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: Twenty-four HCC patients with cirrhosis who underwent hepatectomy were studied. ALB mRNA, IGF-1 mRNA, and IGFBP-3 mRNA in liver tissues (including tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues) were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Liver Ki67 immunohistochemistry staining was studied. At the same time, 12 patients with cholelithiasis or liver angioma who underwent operation were segregated as normal control. RESULTS: In HCC patients with cirrhosis, hepatic ALB mRNA, IGF-1 mRNA, and IGFBP-3 mRNA of tumor tissues or adjacent non-tumor tissues were lower than the normal liver tissues, while in tumor tissues, hepatic ALB mRNA and IGFBP-3 mRNA were lower, hepatic IGF-1 mRNA was higher than in adjacent non-tumor tissues. Liver Ki67 labeling index (Ki67 LI) in tumor tissues or adjacent non-tumor tissues were higher than that in the normal liver tissues, while in tumor tissues it was higher than that in adjacent non-tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: Imbalance of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may play a role in hepatocarcinogenesis and tumor development of liver cirrhosis patients.

Albumins↗

PubMed1999

Hematogenous dissemination of hepatocytes and tumor cells after surgical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma: a quantitative analysis.

The only hope of long-term survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is surgical resection or liver transplantation. However, recurrence or metastasis formation is common after surgery. We aim to assess whether surgical resection leads to hematogenous dissemination of malignant and nontumor hepatocytes and determine the quantity and timing of hepatocyte shedding into the circulation. Using semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR for alpha-fetoprotein (afp) and albumin (alb) mRNAs, we measured the mass of malignant and nontumor hepatocytes in 53 peripheral blood samples collected preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively from 13 HCC patients. We compared these data with those in 54 control samples collected from 24 healthy subjects and patients with chronic hepatitis/cirrhosis and 10 hepatocellular adenoma patients who underwent resection. Clinicopathological information of HCC patients was obtained during 3-year follow-up. In 100% (23 of 23) of HCC and adenoma patients, alb mRNA levels increased 10-10(6)-fold intraoperatively and then markedly declined within 8 weeks after operation. Levels of afp mRNA increased 5-7600-fold preoperatively in 8% (1 of 13) and postoperatively in 70% (9 of 13) of HCC patients. All five HCC patients with persistently elevated afp mRNA levels died from intrahepatic/extrahepatic metastasis, liver recurrence, or persistent HCC within 1 year after surgery. The absence/clearance of afp mRNA in 75 % (six of eight) of survivors was strongly associated with the absence of metastasis/recurrence (P = 0.02). We present evidence that alb-expressing hepatocytes are released intraoperatively into the circulation, and afp-expressing tumor cells are disseminated mostly postoperatively that may potentially be the source of recurrence or metastasis. Sequential quantification of both alb and afp mRNAs may provide insights for risk assessment and prognostic indication.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2000

[A preliminary study on the activation of superoxide dismutase by Tiopronin in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clearance effect of Tiopronin on oxygen free radicals in chronic hepatitis B patients. METHODS: The ranthine oxidase assay was used to detect superoxide dismutase (SOD) in 80 chronic hepatitis B patients, the ALT, TBil, TP and AIG ratio of the patients were also tested. The 80 chronic hepatitis B patients were divided into two groups, the control group was treated with routine liver protective and jaundice regressing drugs while the treated group was additionally administered with Tiopromin besides the routine treatment. RESULTS: In two groups of patients with similar ages and sexes, there showed no differences in levels of SOD, ALT, TBil, TP and ALB before treatment, as the SOD in treated group and control group were 106.57 (40.68 NU/ml and 105.18(44.59 NU/ml respectively, while the normal value for SOD in 16 normal persons was 165.9(23.36 NU/ml. After treatment, there were significant differences (P< 0.01) in SOD, ALT, TBil and ALB levels which showed SOD 187.93(35.24 NU/ml, ALT 38.41(22.22 U/L, TBil 23.15(12.46 micromol/L, ALB 43.28 (4.21 g/L in the treated group and SOD 157.96(47.29 NU/ml, ALT 68.52(34.19 U/L, TBil 30.38(21.80 micromol/L and ALB 40.36(5.19 g/L in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: There showed a good therapeutic effect of Tiopronin on the clearance of oxygen free radicals in chronic hepatitis B patients and also it can improve the liver function.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Structural and transport property alterations of the lung capillary endothelium in diabetes.

There are reports that lung function is altered in diabetes mellitus. Since data are limited concerning the structural--functional correlates in hyperglycemic animals, we designed experiments to assess: (i) whether hyperglycemia induces changes in the structure of the lung capillary endothelial cells (EC), and (ii) the effect of advanced glycation endproducts of albumin (AGE-Alb) on EC. Experiments were conducted on mice and hamsters rendered diabetics by streptozotocin (D-STZ) injection; age-matched animals were used as controls (C). The structure of EC, and the interaction of EC with AGE-Alb adsorbed to 5 nm colloidal gold (AGE-Alb.Au) were examined by electron microscopy; the uptake and cellular distribution of [125I]-AGE-Alb were investigated by spectrometry and autoradiography. The results showed that, compared to C group, in D-STZ animals the alveolar capillary EC exhibited: (i) an uneven distribution of the anionic sites exposed by the luminal plasmalemma, (ii) a metabolicaly active phenotype, (iii) a thickened basal lamina provided with focal nodules, similar in density and distribution to those found in the glomerular basal lamina in diabetes; in addition, (iv) a narrowed or collapsed lumen was found in approximately 30% of the capillaries. The functional alterations of lung EC in diabetes consisted in increased uptake of intravascularly infused [125I]-AGE-Alb and enhanced transcytosis and endocytosis of AGE-Alb.Au. The fusion of plasmalemmal vesicles, and opening of the interendothelial junctions observed, may account for the increased permeability of the alveolar capillary EC. This study asserts that hyperglycemia affects the structure and functional properties of the alveolar capillary EC, and suggests the existence of microangiopathic alterations in diabetic lung.

Animals↗