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Bile acid concentrations in serum, bile, jejunal contents, and excreta of male broiler chicks during the first six weeks posthatch.

Bile acid concentrations in serum, bile, jejunal contents, and excreta of male broiler chicks during the first six weeks posthatch were determined. Bile acid concentrations in serum, jejunum, and excreta declined significantly (P less than .05) during the 1st week after hatch. Serum and jejunal concentrations then rose through week 3, declined during Weeks 4 and 5, and by 6 weeks of age had returned to levels comparable to those seen at Week 3. After the 1st week, no further significant changes were seen in bile acid concentrations in excreta. Concentrations of bile acids in bile were significantly higher at Weeks 1, 3, 5, and 6 than at Weeks 2 and 4. Predictive polynomial equations were calculated for use in modeling applications. This study shows that concentration of bile acids in various body compartments varies significantly during the first 6 weeks posthatch.

Animals↗

Determination of bile acid pool size, turnover time, and distribution of male broiler chicks during the first 6 weeks posthatch using SEHCAT, a gamma ray-emitting bile acid analogue.

A bile acid analogue, SEHCAT (tauro-23-75SE-selena-homocholic acid), was used to determine bile acid pool size, turnover time, and distribution in the developing broiler chick. Bile acid pool size was significantly affected by age and followed a quintic trend (a fifth degree polynomial). It remained steady until 30 days of age when it decreased significantly and then rose significantly at 37 days of age. The bile acid pool half-life remained constant until 28 days of age when it increased significantly and then held steady until it increased again at 8 wk of age following a quartic trend. The distribution of bile acids was affected by age with the amount in the gizzard, duodenum, cloaca, liver, and gall bladder varying significantly with age. Jejunal, ileal, and cecal bile acids did not vary significantly with age. Liver bile acid levels followed a quintic trend, rising until 23 days of age and dropping sharply at 30 days of age and holding steady.

Animals↗

Synthetic capacity and cell metabolites of bile duct obstructed rat livers. Effect of free and conjugated dihydroxy bile acids.

Morphologic alterations in liver cells after bile duct ligation are well known and documented in numerous reports. Biochemical studies concerning metabolic changes in cholestatic liver are rare. Therefore, in this study, liver cell metabolites and the capacity of the perfused cholestatic rat liver to produce glucose, urea and ketone bodies were measured. In addition the influence of dihydroxy bile acids on normal and bile duct ligated rat livers was studied. Concentrations of adenine nucleotides, lactate, pyruvate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, glucose and UDP-glucose were found to be identical in cholestatic and normal livers. Glycogen content, however, was significantly lowered in cholestatic livers. Gluconeogenesis from lactate and urea production from ammonium chloride were only slightly reduced in bile duct obstructed rat livers. Dihydroxy bile acids did not affect the metabolism of normal or cholestatic livers. Ketone body production from oleate was reduced to 66% in bile duct obstructed livers, taurochenodeoxycholate further reduced this value to the normal value. In contrast to earlier reports (Fisher and co-workers, 1971 Lab. Invest. 21; 88-91; Gastroenterology 60: 742) chenodeoxycholate induced neither cholestasis nor a marked fall in ATP content or rat liver in our experiments with female Wistar rats. In conclusion, dihydroxy bile salts did exert toxic short term effects on rat livers.

Acetoacetates↗

Regulation of bile acid synthesis. V. Inhibition of conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to cholesterol is associated with down-regulation of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and inhibition of bile acid synthesis.

In the chronic bile fistula rat, the administration of a bolus dose of mevinolinic acid, an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, was followed by rapid down-regulation of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and a decrease in bile acid synthesis. These observations suggested that either newly synthesized cholesterol or some other metabolite of mevalonate may be involved in the regulation of bile acid synthesis. In order to distinguish between these two alternatives, we carried out experiments in which cholesterol synthesis was blocked by AY9944, a compound that inhibits the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to cholesterol, a last step in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. Rats underwent biliary diversion for 72 h at which time they were given intravenously either a bolus dose of AY9944 (1 mg/kg) or control vehicle. At 0 (pre-treatment control), 0.5, 1.5, and 3 h post bolus, livers were harvested and specific activities of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase were determined. At 1.5, 3, and 6 h post bolus, AY9944 inhibited bile acid synthesis by 19 +/- 6%, 40 +/- 4%, and 41 +/- 6%, respectively, as compared to pretreatment baseline. Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity determined at 0.5, 1.5, and 3 h was decreased by 44 +/- 6%, 44 +/- 2%, and 36 +/- 2%, respectively, as compared to the control value. In in vitro experiments using microsomes from livers of control bile fistula rats, the addition of AY9944 (up to 100 microM) failed to inhibit cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity. The results of this study demonstrate that, in the chronic bile fistula rat, acute inhibition of cholesterol synthesis at either early or late steps leads to a rapid down-regulation of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and decrease in bile acid synthesis.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗

Fluorescent derivatives of bile salts. II. Suitability of NBD-amino derivatives of bile salts for the study of biological transport.

Interaction of unconjugated and taurine-conjugated NBD-amino-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acids bearing the fluorophor in the 3 alpha, 3 beta, 7 alpha, 7 beta, 12 alpha, or 12 beta position with albumin results in a small hypsochromic shift of the emission maximum and an increase in quantum yield, suggesting binding by hydrophobic interactions. The different unconjugated fluorescent bile salt derivatives are metabolized by intact rat liver in different ways. The unconjugated 3 beta-NBD-amino derivative is completely transformed to its taurine conjugate and secreted as such, whereas the 3 alpha-NBD-amino derivative is completely transformed to a polar fluorescent compound not identical with its taurine conjugate. The unconjugated 7 alpha- and 7 beta-NBD-amino derivatives are only partially conjugated with taurine and mainly secreted in unmetabolized form. The unconjugated 12 alpha- and 12 beta-NBD-amino derivatives are not at all transformed to their taurine conjugates, but are partially metabolized to unidentified compounds. They are predominantly secreted as the unmetabolized compounds. In contrast to the unconjugated derivatives, all taurine-conjugated fluorescent bile salt derivatives are secreted into bile unmetabolized. With the exception of the 3 alpha-compound, all synthesized taurine-conjugated fluorescent derivatives interfere with the secretion of cholyltaurine. Differential photoaffinity labeling studies using (7,7-azo-3 alpha,12 alpha- dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oyl)-2'-[2'-3H(N)]aminoethanesulfonate as a photolabile derivative revealed that in liver cells all fluorescent bile salt derivatives interact with the same polypeptides as the physiological bile salts. The hepatobiliary transport of taurine-conjugated NBD-amino bile salt derivatives is, due to hydrophobic interactions, accompanied by an increase in fluorescence intensity which is favorable for the study of biological bile salt transport by fluorescence microscopy.

Albumins↗

Selective reduction of oxo bile acids: synthesis of 3 beta-, 7 beta-, and 12 beta-hydroxy bile acids.

Preparation of some biologically important keto bile acids is described. Advantage is taken of the preferential ketalization of 3-oxo group in bile acids over 7- and 12-oxo groups for the selective reduction of these keto groups. The method was found to be specially useful for preparation of 7 beta-, 12 alpha, and 12 beta-[3H]-3-oxo bile acids. Improved methods are also described for the preparation of epimers of naturally occurring bile acids at C-3, C-7, and C-12. 3 beta-Hydroxy bile acids (iso-bile acids) were prepared with the use of diethylazodicarboxylate/triphenylphosphine/formic acid. Iso-bile acids were obtained in excellent yields (80-95%) except during synthesis of isoursodeoxycholic acid (yield, 50%). Isoursodeoxycholic acid was, however, prepared in very good yield via epimerization of 3 alpha-hydroxyl group in 7-oxolithocholic acid followed by stereoselective reduction of 7-oxo group. A highly efficient method for the reduction of 7-oxo and 12-oxo groups was developed. Thus, 7-oxolithocholic acid and 7-oxoisolithocholic acid on reduction with potassium/tertiary amyl alcohol yielded ursodeoxycholic acid and isoursodeoxycholic acid in yields of 96% and 94%, respectively, while reduction of 7-oxodeoxycholic acid resulted in ursocholic acid in 93% yield. In a similar manner, reduction of 12-oxolithocholic acid and 12-oxochenodeoxycholic acid yielded 3 alpha, 12 beta-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholanoic acid (lagodeoxycholic acid; 92% yield) and 3 alpha, 7 alpha, 12 beta-trihydroxy-5 beta-cholanoic acid (lagocholic acid, 86% yield).

Bile Acids and Salts↗

Altered bile acid metabolism in liver disease: concurrent occurrence of C-1 and C-6 hydroxylated bile acid metabolites and their preferential excretion into urine.

C-1 and C-6 hydroxylated bile acid metabolites in various biological specimens from subjects with liver disease (cholestasis, liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, acute hepatitis) were determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Five C-1 hydroxylated bile acids and nine C-6 hydroxylated bile acids were identified in the urine studied; 1 beta,3 alpha,12 alpha-trihydroxy-, 1 beta,3 alpha,7 alpha-trihydroxy-, 1 beta,3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha-tetrahydroxy-, 3 alpha,6 alpha,7 alpha-trihydroxy-, and 3 alpha,6 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha-tetrahydroxy-5 beta-cholanoic acids were found as the major components. Most of the 1 beta- and 6 alpha-hydroxylated bile acids were excreted into urine in the nonsulfate-nonglucuronide form. The amounts in the urine were greater than those found in the bile, portal and peripheral venous sera, and liver specimens. The biliary excretion and hepatic extraction of 1 beta-hydroxylated metabolites were more impaired and less efficient than for cholic acid. These findings suggested that hepatic 1 beta- or 6 alpha-hydroxylation of bile acids occurred concurrently in the patients with liver disease and that the resulting hydroxylated metabolites were efficiently excreted in the nonsulfate-nonglucuronide form into urine rather than into bile.

Adult↗

Connection of ductlike structures induced by a chemical hepatocarcinogen to portal bile ducts in the rat liver detected by injection of bile ducts with a pigmented barium gelatin medium.

Newly found metaplastic ductlike structures that form in the liver of rats exposed to carcinogens are connected to preexisting bile ducts. Male Fischer rats fed a diet of N-2-acetylaminofluorene in a choline-deficient diet (CDAAF) develop a massive proliferation of oval cells which appear to differentiate into bile-ductlike structures. However, unlike normal or proliferating bile ducts, these ductlike structures contain alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and albumin, which are markers for proliferating hepatocytes and some hepatocellular carcinomas. Bile duct injections with a green pigmented barium gelatin medium filled the lumens of the ductlike structures and typical ductlike structures induced by the CDAAF diet, as well as the proliferating bile ducts induced by the noncarcinogenic alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT), and the ducts in the normal controls. AFP was present in the ductlike structures in the rats fed AAF, but not in the bile ducts of animals fed ANIT. These studies suggest that most, if not all, of the ductlike structures produced during chemical hepatocarcinogenesis are derived from bile ducts, yet have the capacity to produce AFP and albumin.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗

Bile acid production in human subjects: rate of oxidation of [24,25-3H]cholesterol compared to fecal bile acid excretion.

Bile acid production has been quantitated in seven subjects by methods that compare the results of two independent approaches, namely, quantitation of cholesterol side-chain oxidation and fecal bile acid excretion. Six hypertriglyceridemic (HT) subjects and one normolipidemic control were studied by both techniques. A further control subject was studied by the cholesterol side-chain oxidation method alone. Cholesterol side-chain oxidation was quantitated by measuring the appearance of 3H2O after intravenous administration of [24,25-3H]cholesterol, using multicompartmental analysis of plasma cholesterol and [3H]water specific activity. Body water kinetics were independently defined by use of oral D2O. Two HT subjects were restudied while they were taking cholestyramine, 16 g/day. In all ten studies, multicompartmental analysis closely simulated the observed appearance of 3H2O. Values obtained for bile acid production suggest that cholesterol oxidation, or bile acid input, was significantly greater than fecal bile acid output in the HT subjects (P less than 0.05). Cholesterol side-chain oxidation rates in the two normal subjects were lower than those encountered in HT subjects, being similar to published values for normal subjects both for bile acid synthesis as determined by isotope dilution kinetics and fecal bile acid excretion. Studies conducted with two, synthetically different, preparations of [24,25-3H]cholesterol indicated that, in one of the two preparations, approximately 20% of the tritium label was at positions proximal to C24. In the other preparation examined, all of the tritium was located at, or distal to, C24. Further studies revealed that 0.055-0.24% of the dose was present as labile tritium by virtue of its appearance as 3H2O following in vitro incubation with human plasma. Provided these isotope effects are taken into account, multicompartmental analysis of plasma [24,25-3H]cholesterol and body water appears to be a useful technique for quantitating cholesterol oxidation in human subjects.

Adult↗

[Clinicopathological study on metaplasia in the bile duct mucosa with special reference to bile duct carcinoma].

Metaplasia of bile duct epithelium was studied clinicopathologically in 36 autopsy cases (Group-A), 18 surgical cases of obstructive jaundice without bile duct carcinoma (Group-B) and 56 surgical cases of bile duct carcinoma (Group-C). The results were as follows: In Group-A there were 24 cases with metaplastic pyrolic glands, and no metaplastic goblet cells. In group-B, there were 16 cases with metaplastic pyrolic glands, 2 cases with metaplastic goblet cells and 1 case with enterochromaffin cells. The mucosa of non-tumorous region of Group-C had metaplastic pyrolic glands in 46 cases, metaplastic goblet cells in 14 cases, enterochromaffin cells in 2 cases and intestinal absorbtive epithelia in 5 cases. In the tumorous region, however, tumor cells with goblet vesicles (malignant goblet cells) were seen in 31 cases, malignant intestinal absorptive villi were in 18 cases, malignant enterochromaffin cells were in 8 cases. Thirty one cases with malignant goblet cells were classified as intestinal type of the bile duct carcinoma (I-type). And 25 cases without malignant goblet cells were classified as non-intestinal type of the bile duct carcinoma (non-I-type). Conclusively, these clinicopathological findings suggest that I-type and non-I-type in the carcinoma of the bile duct are identifiable and I-type in the carcinoma of the bile duct are identifiable and I-type may arise from the lesion with intestinal metaplasia of the benign epithelia of the duct.

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary↗

A new method for early diagnosis of carcinoma in bile duct-sonography of common bile duct before and after injection of ceosunin.

42 cases of dilatation (7-15 mm) of extrahepatic bile duct after ceosunin injection (cholagogic method) were observed ultrasonographically. Among the 18 cases of testified obstructive lesions of the bile duct, 13 (72%) showed widening of the bile duct with an increase of calibre from 9.8 mm to 11.7 mm, 3 (16%) had no obvious change, and 2 (12%) shrank. Among the 24 cases of non-obstruction 22 (92%) shrank with a decrease calibre from 9.6 mm to 6.3 mm, and 2 (8%) showed no obvious change. After receiving cholagogue, 9 cases of periampullary carcinoma in the obstructive group were confronted with widening of the bile duct calibre. After longitudinal and transverse rotation scanning method was used, 8 of the 9 cases had their tumor mass visualized. Combined cholagogic and rotation scanning methods raised the lesion manifestation rate of lower bile duct from 41% to 88%. A dilated bile duct unable to show shrinkage of calibre after cholagogue injection is believed to be a criterion for judging the presence of a suspicious case of bile duct obstruction. This criterion has a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 92%, and accuracy of 90%.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Postprandial serum bile acid level and 75SeHCAT retention in diagnosis of bile acid malabsorption syndrome. A comparative study].

Postprandial serum bile acids (expressed as integrated bile acid response [IR]) after a standardized test meal were compared with 75SeHCAT retention, measured in a whole body counter, in healthy controls (n = 20), in 44 patients with ileal disease or resection and in 23 patients with colitis without ileal involvement. In the controls the IR after 180 min was 736 +/- 186 mumol x min x 1(-1) (mean +/- standard deviation), the 75SeHCAT retention 31 +/- 9%. 80% of the patients with ileal disease or resection had a decreased 75SeHCAT retention, indicating bile acid malabsorption, but only 59% had a diminished IR. One of the 23 patients with colitis and radiologically normal ileum had a decreased 75SeHCAT retention but a normal IR, reflecting a dysfunction of the morphologically normal ileum. The characteristics of the two tests are: 75SeHCAT retention test: sensitivity 80%, specificity 98%, accuracy 89%; postprandial serum bile acids: sensitivity 64%, specificity 74%, accuracy 69%. With respect to chronic inflammatory bowel disease the positive predictive value of the 75SeHCAT retention test is 1.0%, for postprandial serum bile acids 0.1%, whereas the negative predictive values amount to 99% for both tests. Thus 75SeHCAT retention is more reliable in detecting bile acid malabsorption than the determination of postprandial serum bile acids, although both tests are not usefull for screening the population for ileal disease.

Adolescent↗

Bile salt-membrane interactions and the physico-chemical mechanisms of bile salt toxicity.

We present evidence that ursodeoxycholate prevents toxicity of more hydrophobic bile salts by inhibiting micellar solubilization of membrane lipids. Using both centrifugal ultrafiltration and gel filtration methods we studied leakage of inulin from vesicles composed of egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol. We observed that the addition of tauroursodeoxycholate to taurodeoxycholate reduced leakage of inulin from large unilamelar vesicles compared to that seen with taurodeoxycholate alone. This protective effect was observed only at high membrane cholesterol:phospholipid ratios (> or = 0.5). By gel filtration we found that fractional leakage of inulin from vesicles was identical to fractional phospholipid solubilization, indicating that release of inulin from vesicles results from membrane dissolution rather than from increased permeability of otherwise intact membranes. Addition of tauroursodeoxycholate to taurodeoxycholate was found to suppress the dissolution of phospholipid from cholesterol-rich vesicles. Bile salts were found to absorb to vesicles with an affinity proportional to their relative hydrophobicity, as estimated by reverse phase HPLC. Adsorption affinity decreased progressively with increasing membrane cholesterol content. Different bile salts displaced each other from membranes in proportion to their respective binding, affinities. Tauroursodeoxycholate, which absorbed to membranes with low affinity, displaced taurodeoxycholate from vesicles only weakly. Based on these findings we postulate that bile salts may damage the liver through solubilization of canalicular membrane lipids. Ursodeoxycholate may protect the liver by inhibiting dissolution of the cholesterol-rich canalicular membrane by more hydrophobic endogenous bile salts. Biliary secretion of vesicles rich in phosphatidylcholine may buffer the intermicellar concentration of bile acids at levels below those required to disrupt the cholesterol-rich canalicular membrane; thus biliary vesicle secretion may have evolved as a mechanism to protect the biliary epithelium from injury by luminal bile salts.

Bile Acids and Salts↗

Endoscopic transpapillary bile duct biopsy without sphincterotomy for diagnosing biliary strictures: a prospective comparative study with bile and brush cytology.

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic transpapillary bile duct biopsy has a high sensitivity for detection of malignant biliary strictures, but is commonly performed after endoscopic sphincterotomy. We performed transpapillary biopsy without sphincterotomy, using a recently developed, malleable biopsy forceps, and prospectively studied the usefulness of this diagnostic procedure, compared with that of bile and brush cytology. METHODS: We succeeded in transpapillary biopsy without sphincterotomy in 45 (87%) of 52 patients. In 43 patients with biliary strictures (31 malignant, 12 benign) who successfully underwent all endoscopic samplings by bile aspiration, brushing, and biopsy, the diagnostic value of these three sampling methods was compared. RESULTS: Transpapillary biopsy (81%) had a significantly higher level of sensitivity for malignancy than bile (32%) and brush (48%) cytology. Transpapillary biopsy was more sensitive for bile duct cancer (88%) than for pancreatic cancer (71%), as were cytology techniques. No false positives were found in any of the three sampling methods. No complications accompanied the endoscopic procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Transpapillary bile duct biopsy without sphincterotomy is a simple, safe, and effective technique for diagnosing biliary stricture. We recommend that this technique be performed routinely at initial endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for patients with a stricture or filling defect of the extrahepatic bile duct.

Adult↗

Total protein content of human gallbladder bile: relation to cholesterol gallstone disease and effects of treatment with bile acids and aspirin.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the total protein content of gallbladder bile, and assess how treatment with aspirin and the gallstone solvents chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) affects the biliary protein concentration. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 102 Consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy for cholesterol gallstones (n = 73) or adenomyomas or cholesterolosis in the gallbladder wall (n = 29). Thirty of the patients with gallstones were treated with CDCA, UDCA or aspirin. INTERVENTIONS: Aspiration of bile from the gallbladder during operation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Protein content, and correlations between protein content and biliary lipids, cholesterol saturation and crystals, and concentrations of individual bile acids. RESULTS: There were no differences in total protein content among the groups except for the UDCA treated group, which had significantly less protein 2.1 (0.5) g/l compared with 6.1 (0.5) for untreated gallstones, 5.8 (0.9) for those treated with CDCA, 6.8 (1.2) for those treated with aspirin and 7.3 (0.7) for those with no gallstones). There were no differences between bile with and without crystals. There was a positive correlation between the protein content and biliary cholesterol concentration and saturation. Aspirin did not influence the total protein content in the bile. CONCLUSIONS: The total protein concentration in gallbladder bile was similar in patients with and without cholesterol crystals, which might indicate that the total protein content in bile does not influence formation of cholesterol crystals and consequently not the formation of gallstones. Patients treated with UDCA were the only group that had significantly less protein than the other groups, which indicates that the mode of action of UDCA is different from that of CDCA.

Aspirin↗

The effects on cellular functions of bile acid and trypsin in stagnant bile juice in anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary duct.

To examine the reasons for the high frequency of biliary tract carcinogenesis in individuals with anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary duct (AAPBD), we investigated the effects on cellular functions of bile acid and trypsin, which are possible risk factors for carcinogenesis found in stagnant bile juice, using a chick embryo fibroblast culture system. Bile acid was found to increase PGE2 synthesis which has been shown to be increased in premalignant lesions, but to suppress the incorporation of [3H]-labelled TdR into DNA. On the other hand, trypsin increased the incorporation of [3H]TdR into DNA, but did not increase PGE2 synthesis. These results suggest that both the bile acid and trypsin present in the stagnant bile juice in AAPBD act to stimulate cell proliferation, but that their mechanisms of action on cell growth differ. Therefore, the combination of these effects of different types of tumor promoters in the stagnant bile juice in AAPBD may account for the high incidence of carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

Bile canaliculi morphology after bile duct ligation in the rat with portacaval shunt: a time course study.

Besides the spontaneous occurrence of portacaval shunts in chronic liver diseases and the performance of shunt to cure portal hypertension, shunts are now proposed for the treatment of some metabolic diseases, especially in children. The portacaval shunt model in the rat, known to induce liver atrophy related to hepatocyte loss and atrophy, was used to investigate morphological liver changes occurring in cholestasis. Two weeks after portacaval or sham portacaval shunt, the bile duct was ligated and livers were examined by light and electron microscopy at 5 h, 20 h, 4 days and 8 days. Portal inflammatory reaction and proliferation of bile ducts were identical but areas of patchy hepatic necrosis were more numerous in shunted rats. Hepatocyte size decreased in the sham group but increased in the other group. Hepatocyte ultrastructural changes were similar in the two groups. At 5 h, the number of bile canaliculi sections increased (X2) and 95% of them were normal. As time elapsed, the ratio of dilated bile canaliculi without microvilli and of bile canaliculi filled with cytoplasmic blebs increased but in no case reached 50% of the total. These results show that in the rat, cholestasis induced by bile duct ligation has approximately the same characteristics in control or shunted animals.

Animals↗

Detection of Helicobacter DNA in bile from bile duct diseases.

Several species of Helicobacter colonize the hepatobiliary tract of animals and cause hepatobiliary diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate Helicobacter found in the biliary tract diseases of humans. Thirty-two bile samples (15 from bile duct cancer, 6 from pancreatic head cancer, and 11 from intrahepatic duct stone) were obtained by percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Polymerase chain reaction analysis using Helicobacter specific urease A gene and 16S rRNA primers, bile pH measurement, and Helicobacter culture were performed. Helicobacter DNA was detected in 37.5%, and 31.3% by PCR with ureA gene, and 16S rRNA, respectively. The bile pH was not related to the presence of Helicobacter. The cultures were not successful. In conclusion, Helicobacter can be detected in the bile of patients with bile duct diseases. The possibility of pathogenesis of biliary tract diseases in humans by these organisms will be further investigated.

Adenocarcinoma↗