• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2009

This study examined the association of cytokine gene polymorph isms with intrahepatic bile duct wall fibrosis in human clonorchiasis. A total of 240 residents in Heilongjiang, China underwent ultrasonography, blood sampling, and stool examination. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites for $IFN-{\gamma}$ (+874 T/A), IL-10 (-1,082 G/A, -819 C/T, -592 C/A), $TNF-{\alpha}$ (-308 G/A), and $TGF-{\beta}1$ (codon 10 T/C, codon 25 G/C) genes were observed with the TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. No significant correlation was observed between individual cytokine gene polymorphisms and intrahepatic duct dilatation (IHDD). Among individuals with clonorchiasis of moderate intensity, the incidence of IHDD was high in those with $IFN-{\gamma}$ intermediate-producing genotype, +874AT (80.0%, P=0.177), and in those with $TNF-{\alpha}$ low-producing genotype, -308GG (63.0%, P=0.148). According to the combination of $IFN-{\gamma}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ genotypes, the risks for IHDD could be stratified into high (intermediate-producing $IFN-{\gamma}$ and low producing $TNF-{\alpha}$), moderate, and low (low-producing $IFN-{\gamma}$ and high producing $TNF-{\alpha}$) risk groups. The incidence of IHDD was significantly different among these groups (P=0.022): 88.9% (odds ratio, OR=24.0) in high, 56.5% (OR=3.9) in moderate, and 25.0% (OR=1) in low risk groups. SNP of $IFN-{\gamma}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ genes may contribute to the modulation of fibrosis in the intrahepatic bile duct wall in clonorchiasis patients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.286-290
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• 2016

Inspissated bile syndrome (IBS) is a rare condition in which thick intraluminal bile, including bile plugs, sludge, or stones, blocks the extrahepatic bile ducts in an infant. A 5-week-old female infant was admitted for evaluation of jaundice and acholic stool. Diagnostic tests, including ultrasound sonography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and a hepatobiliary scan, were not conclusive. Although the diagnosis was unclear, the clinical and laboratory findings improved gradually on administration of urodeoxycholic acid and lipid emulsion containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for 3 weeks. However, a liver biopsy was suggestive of biliary atresia. This finding forced us to perform intraoperative cholangiography, which revealed a patent common bile duct with impacted thick bile. We performed normal saline irrigation and the symptom was improved, the final diagnosis was IBS. Thus, we herein report that IBS can be treated with omega-3 PUFAs as an alternative to surgical intervention.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.613-619
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• 2000

We investigated the expression profiles of rat fibrotic liver induced by bile duct ligation and scission (BDL/S) using the 3'-directed cDNA libraries. The possibility that the 3'-directed cDNA library represents the mRNA population faithfully was examined by northern blots. During the northern analysis based on fibrotic liver expression profile, we found for the first time that purine specific sodium nucleoside cotransporter (SPNT) was upregulated in BDL/S-induced fibrotic liver. To determine whether the accumulation of bile juice could affect the expression of SPNT mRNA or not, we examined the change of SPNT mRNA expression at 3, 14, 28 days after BDL/S operation. No change in SPNT expression was observed in rat liver at 3 days after surgery. In contrast, there were significant increases in SPNT expression at 14 and 28 days after surgery. We also examined whether chronic liver damage affected SPNT mRNA expression. SPNT mRNA level was significantly increased in BDL/S-induced fibrotic rat liver, whereas no significant change was obserbed in fibrotic livers chronically exposed to carbon tetrachloride or dimethylnitrosamine. From the above results, although further study might be needed, it was considered that the increment of SPNT mRNA in BDL/S liver morphological compatibility to human was remarkable.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.513-525
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• 2020

Clonorchis sinensis is a food-borne trematode that infects more than 15 million people. The liver fluke causes clonorchiasis and chronical cholangitis, and promotes cholangiocarcinoma. The underlying molecular pathogenesis occurring in the bile duct by the infection is little known. In this study, transcriptome profile in the bile ducts infected with C. sinensis were analyzed using microarray methods. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were 1,563 and 1,457 at 2 and 4 weeks after infection. Majority of the DEGs were temporally dysregulated at 2 weeks, but 519 DEGs showed monotonically changing expression patterns that formed seven distinct expression profiles. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis of the DEG products revealed 5 sub-networks and 10 key hub proteins while weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA)-derived gene-gene interaction exhibited 16 co-expression modules and 13 key hub genes. The DEGs were significantly enriched in 16 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, which were related to original systems, cellular process, environmental information processing, and human diseases. This study uncovered a global picture of gene expression profiles in the bile ducts infected with C. sinensis, and provided a set of potent predictive biomarkers for early diagnosis of clonorchiasis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.503-508
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• 2005

Possible mechanisms of increased serum aryl sulfotransferase (AST) isozyme activities in cholestatic rats were studied. Serum AST-I, II and -III, IV isozymes activities were determined from the experimental rats with common bile duct ligation (CBDL) or choledocho-caval shunt (CCS). The activities of serum AST-I, II and -III, IV isozymes were found to be increased significantly in both the CCS plus taurocholic acid (TCA) injected group, and the CBDL plus TCA group than those in each control group, such as CCS or CBDL alone groups. The above results suggest that the elevated serum AST most likely due to increased hepatocyte membrane permeability caused by TCA mediated liver cell necrosis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2005

The possible mechanisms of increased aryl sulfotransferase (AST) isozymes activities in cholestatic rat liver were studied. Hepatic AST-I, II and -III, IV activities were determined from the experimental rats with common bile duct ligation (CBDL). The Michaelis-Menten constants in these hepatic enzymes were also measured. The activities of mitochondrial AST-I, II and -III, IV, and microsomal AST-III, IV as well as their Vmax values were found to be increased significantly in CBDL plus taurocholic acid (TCA) injected group than in the control group, such as CBDL alone groups. However, their Km values in the experimental groups did not vary. The results suggest that TCA stimulates biosynthesis of the AST in the liver.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.421-427
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• 2004

The possible mechanisms of decreased monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B activities in cholestatic rat liver were studied. Hepatic and serum MAG activities were determined from the experimental rats with common bile duct ligation (CBDL). The Michaelis-Menten constants in these hepatic enzymes were also measured. The activities of mitochondrial MAO A and B, and mircosomal MAO B as well as their Vmax values were found to be decreased significantly in CBDL plus taurocholic acid (TCA) injected group than in the control group, such as CBDL alone groups. However, their Km values in the experimental groups did not vary. Serum MAO activity increased significantly in the CBDL plus TCA injected group than in the control group. The above results suggest that TCA represses biosynthesis of the MAO in the liver. The elevated activity of the serum MAO is believed to be caused by the increment of membrane permeability ofhepatocytes upon TCA mediated liver cell necrosis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2012

Cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis are uncommon pediatric diseases, although clinicians have seen them with increasing frequency in children in recent years. Moreover, no case of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection with cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis has been previously reported in the English literature. We report a pediatric patient with EBV infection, a gall bladder stone, and a common bile duct stone, may have had GB and CBD stones prior to her EBV infection, whom we successfully treated with antibiotics and laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholecystitis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.203-209
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• 2002

Serum $\alpha$-D-mannosidase isozyme activities were measured in rats with ethanol intoxication combined with extrahepatic cholestasis induced by common bile duct ligation for the manifestation of the biochemical background of drinking hazards under the hepatobiliary disease. When chronic ethanol intoxication was combine with extraheparlc cholestasis, the activities of the rat's serum cytosolic, Iysosomal and Golgi $\alpha$-D-mannosidase isozymes increased at a more significant rate than those of the cholestasis alone. However, when acute ethanol intoxication was combined with extrahepatic cholestasis, the activities of the above isozymes were seen in the cholestasis alone. The results suggested that the elevated activities of these isozymes in chronic ethanol intoxication with cholestasis rather than in cholestasis alone were indications of increased hepatic damages, which caused these isozymes to leak into the blood in great quantity. Accordingly, the resulting data supported the fact that alcoholic drinks were enzymologically harmful to the hepatobiliary disease.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2003

Hepatic subcellular $\alpha$-D-mannosidases activities and its Km and Vmax values were determined in chronic ethanol intoxicated rats with extrahepatic cholestasis induced by common bile duct ligation to manifest the biochemical background of alcohol drinking hazard under the hepatobiliary disease. In case of extrahepatic cholestasis, chronic ethanol intoxication in animals led to the increased activities of liver Golgi and microsomal $\alpha$-D-mannosidase as well as the Vmax values of these enzymes. However, the difference of Km values on hepatic subcellular enzymes were not found between the experimental groups. Therefore, the results indicate that the liver Golgi and microsomal $\alpha$-D-mannosidase may be more induced in chronic ethanol intoxication animals in case of cholestasis. Accordingly, the resulting data supported the fact that alcoholic drinks may led to enhancement of the hepatobiliary liver damage.