• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.224-238
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• 1992

간 섬유화에서 fat-storing cell의 변화를 미세 구조학적 측면에서 관찰하고자, 사염화탄소를 mineral oil에 녹여 1 : 1로 회석한 후 Kg당 0.5 ml의 용량을 주 2회씩 12주간 흰쥐에 복강 주입하였다. 실험기간 동안 1주 간격으로 도살하고, 적출된 간조직을 광학현미경과 연역조직화학적 검사 및 전자현미경으로 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 광학현미경적 소견상 소엽 중심주의 염증 반응 및 세포 침윤 현상은 사염화탄소 투여 후 1주부터 나타나서 4주 째 가장 심하였으며, 이시기에 desmin염색 반응 양성세포의 수도 증가되었다. 괴사 및 섬유화는 2주부터 나타나기 시작하여 6주부터 결절이 형성되기 시작하였고 괴사성 병변은 8주까지 지속되었다. 그러나 세포 침윤 정도는 감소되면서 desmin에 대한 반응성도 낮아졌고, 경변성 변화는 10주 이후부터 나타났다. 전자현미경적 소견상 fat-storing cell의 숫적 증가는 1주부터 관찰되었으며 지방적이 감소하고 rER이 팽창된 이행세포는 2주째 출현하여 4주에 가장 현저히 증가되었다. 섬유아세포는 3주부터 나타나기 시작하였는데, rER이 확장되었으며 지방적은 없거나 1-2개의 소적이 세포돌기에서 관찰되었다. 섬유화가 진행됨에 따라 이행세포 및 fat-storing cell은 감소하고 섬유아세포는 증가된 상태를 유지하였다. 이상의 결과로 보아 fat-storing cell은 간섬유화 과정에서 활성화되고 증식하여 형태학적으로 이행세포 및 섬유아세포로 전환함으로써, 정지상태에 있는 섬유아세포의 전구체로서 간섬유화에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국수의병리학회지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.9-16
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• 2001

To investigate the effects of safflower seed supplementation diet on the hepatic injury of rats administered with carbon tetrachloride (CCI$_4$), histopathological changes were assessed following acute and chronic administration in rats. In acute cases, all rats in group fed with 10% safflower seed supplementation diet survived despite the administration of lethal doses of $CCl_4$. However, most rats in group fed with control diet died. The hepatic injuries of survived rats, in the histopathological findings, were mild compared to those of dead rats. In the chronic cases, livers of group 2 fed with control diet were more progressive in fatty changes and centrilobular necrosis than those of group 3 fed with 20%safflower seed diet. However, after six weeks, livers of group 2 and 3 showed severe necrosis and mild fibrosis at the same time. Group 5 fed with 10% safflower seed supplementation diet and water containing 0.05% phenobarbital sodium showed mild fatty changes and necrosis compared with group 4 fed with control diet and water containing 0.05% phenobarbital sodium at sixth week. At 8 to 10 wee71s after the administration of $CCl_4$, severe fibrosis. fatty changes and marked necrosis were observed in group 4, but hepatic injuries were less severe in group 5. The present results suggested that safflower seed has some protective effect in hepatic lesions and consequently delay the progression of hepatic fibrosis.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.280-284
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• 2010

During liver fibrosis, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) undergo a complex activation process characterized by increased proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition, which is the major pathological feature of hepatic cirrhosis. Therefore, suppression of HSCs activation has been proposed as therapeutic strategies for hepatic fibrosis. We tried to screen the antifibrotic activity of natural products employing HSC-T6, hepatic stellate cell lines as an in vitro assay system. In the present study, we investigated the antiproliferative activity of aerial parts and roots of Pulsatilla koreana Nakai (Ranunculaceae). Our present study shows that roots of P. koreana exerted more strong inhibitory activity compared to its aerial parts. In addition, among the fractions of the aqueous methanolic extract of P. koreana roots, both n-hexane and $CHCl_3$ fraction showed the strong inhibitory activity on HSC proliferation. Further study also demonstrated that the n-hexane and $CHCl_3$ fraction of P. koreana roots significantly inhibited the HSC proliferation in time- and concentration-related manners.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.320-327
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• 2020

In current study, we aimed to investigate whether the gentiopicroside (GPS) derived from Gentiana manshurica Kitagawa could block the progression of alcoholic hepatic steatosis to fibrosis induced by chronic ethanol intake. C57BL/6 mice were fed an ethanol-containing Lieber-DeCarli diet for 4 weeks. LX-2 human hepatic stellate cells were treated with GPS 1 h prior to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) stimulation, and murine hepatocyte AML12 cells were pretreated by GPS 1 h prior to ethanol treatment. GPS inhibited the expression of type I collagen (collagen I), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and tissue inhibitor of metal protease 1 in ethanol-fed mouse livers with mild fibrosis. In addition, the imbalanced lipid metabolism induced by chronic ethanol-feeding was ameliorated by GPS pretreatment, characterized by the modulation of lipid accumulation. Consistently, GPS inhibited the expression of collagen I and α-SMA in LX-2 cells stimulated by TGF-β. Inhibition of lipid synthesis and promotion of oxidation by GPS were also confirmed in ethanol-treated AML12 cells. GPS could prevent hepatic steatosis advancing to the inception of a mild fibrosis caused by chronic alcohol exposure, suggesting GPS might be a promising therapy for targeting the early stage of alcoholic liver disease.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.413-418
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• 2004

Objectives : Cirsii Japonici Herba (CJH) is one of medicinal plants that has been frequently used for styptic purposes in Asian countries. In order to evaluate a hepatoprotective effects of CJH in the liver fibrotic diseases, the present study investigated how CJH improves a hepatic function in the dimethylnitrosamine(DMN) treated rat. Methods : CJH were orally administered to rats that has been treated with DMN. Subsequently, the amount of blood L-asparate aminotransferase (AST), L-alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and hydroxyproline were quantitated. Several histopathological markers for examining the degree of hepatic fibrosis were investigated by H-E and Masson-Trichrome staining. Results: DMN treatment caused a increase of relative liver weight to the body at 14 days after DMN induction, Administration of CJH with 100mg/kg and 1,000mg/kg dose decreased significantly the AST level elevated by DMN injection(p<0.01). But ALT level was not improved. The hydroxyproline level was reduced by a simultaneous treatment of CJH with DMN for 7 days, but not recovered completely to its normal value, CJH administration improved conspicuously the DMN-induced histopathological changes of liver such as granuloma, but cell necrosis and fibrosis were not improved with CJH 1,000mg/kg dose. Conclusion: These results indicate that CJH has protective effect on liver injury and can inhibit liver fibrosis Induced by DMN in rats.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2003

Objectives : The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of Injinchunggan-tang on $TGF-{\beta}1-induced$ hepatic fibrosis. Methods : mRNA and protein expression levels of $TGF-{\beta}1$ in Injinchunggan-tang-treated HepG2 cells were compared to untreated cells using quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA assay, respectively. mRNA expression levels of the TGF-1 pathway genes (TR-1, TR-II, Smad2, Smad3, Smad4, and PAI-1) and fibrosis-associated genes (CTGF, fibronectin, and collagen type 1) were evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR. The effect of Injinchunggan-tang on cell proliferation of T3891 human fibroblast was evaluated using [$^3H$]thymidine incorporation assay. Results : Expression of $TGF-{\beta}1$ mRNA and protein was inhibited by Injinchunggan-tang in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Whereas $TGF-{\beta}1-mediated$ induction of PAI-1 was suppressed by Injinchunggan-tang, expression of the $TGF-{\beta}1$ pathway genes such as TR-1, TR-II, Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4 was not affected by Injinchunggan-tang treatment. Injinchunggan-tang was found to inhibit $TGF-{\beta}1-induced$ cell proliferation of T3891 human fibroblast, and also abrogated $TGF-{\beta}1-mediated$ transcriptional up-regulation of CTGF, fibronectin, and collagen type I. Conclusions : This study strongly suggests that the liver cirrhosis-suppressive activity of Injinchunggan-tang may be derived at least in part from its inhibitory effect on $TGF-{\beta}1$ functions, such as blockade of $TGF-{\beta}1$ stimulation of fibroblast cell proliferation and fibrosis-related gene expression as well as expression of $TGF-{\beta}1$ itself.

• 대한약학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한약학회 2003년도 Proceedings of the Convention of the Pharmaceutical Society of Korea Vol.2-2
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• pp.101.1-101.1
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• 2003

The therapeutic goal in liver fibrosis is to reverse fibrosis and selective clearance of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which playa central role in liver fibrogenesis, by apoptosis might be essential during resolution of fibrosis. Past several years we screened for natural products which mediate apoptosis in activated HSCs, and among the candidates honokiol, isolated from Magnoliae Cortex, was found to induce apoptotic death in activated rat HSCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner at the concentration between 12.5 microM and 50 microM. (omitted)

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.181-187
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• 2010

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the critical causative factors leading to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage, ranging from simple uncomplicated liver steatosis (fatty liver) to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. It has been believed that the obvious underlying cause for ALD is due to hepatocyte death induced by alcohol itself. However, recent sparkling studies have shown that diverse immune responses contribute to ALD because liver is enriched with numerous immune cells. Especially, a line of evidence has suggested that innate immune cells such as Kupffer cells and natural killer (NK)/NKT cells are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of ALD via production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators. Indeed, more interestingly, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), known as a major cell inducing liver steatosis and fibrosis, can be killed by liver NK cells, which could be suppressed by chronic alcohol consumption. In this review, with the view of liver as predominant innate immune organ, we describe the pathogenesis of ALD in which what roles of innate immune cells are and how they are interacting with HSCs.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.85-92
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• 2015

Objectives: The liver fibroscan has been developed as a noninvasive and convenient method to assess hepatic fibrosis. This study aimed to review this device in terms of its technological concept and clinical application in traditional Korean medicine (TKM). Methods: The technological background, diagnostic evaluation, and clinical usefulness of fibroscan were reviewed using various literature and clinical studies. One clinical example-a patient with hepatofibrosis who had been treated with TKM-is presented. Results: The liver fibroscan was approved as a medical device for noninvasive measurement of the hepatic fibrosis level by the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). Numerous clinical studies have confirmed that its sensitivity and specificity allow it to serve as a substitute for liver biopsy, the present gold standard diagnostic method. The accuracy and reproducibility and lack of technical risks are strong points of the fibroscan; however, it has some limitations for application, especially in patients with obesity or severe hepatitis. One clinical example showed the applicability of the liver fibroscan in herbal medicine-based treatments. Conclusions: The requirement for diagnostic medical devices is an important issue in TKM; therefore, this study provides valuable information for practitioners of TKM.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.101-105
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• 2009

We previously reported that a novel cerebroside, LCC, isolated from the fruits of Lycium chinense (Solanaceae), significantly exerted hepatoprotective activity against both the carbon tetrachloride-induced and galactosamine-induced toxicities in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. In the present study, we further attempted to determine the effect of LCC on hepatic fibrosis in animal model. Hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats by bile duct ligation/scission (BDL) for a period of 5 weeks. Treatment of BDL rats with LCC significantly reduced collagen deposition and the activities of serum alkaline phosphatase and ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transpeptidase. In addition, the LCC treatment of BDL rats significantly preserved the decreased hepatic glutathione as well as the activities of glutathione reductase and catalase in BDL rats. From the results, it can be speculated that LCC might exert antifibrotic activity in rats with BDL, in part, through the preservation of antioxidant enzymes and hepatic glutathione.