• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.879-887
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• 2019

This study investigated the localization and changes in the concentration of injected mercury in the kidney, liver, and spleen of mice. To evaluate changes in the concentration of mercury over time, the mice were euthanized 10, 150, and 300 days post-treatment. Localization of accumulated mercury was identified by the autometallography method. Mercury was densely located in the supranuclear cytoplasm of epithelial cells of proximal tubules of the kidney but was not detected in the glomerulus 10 days post-treatment. In the liver, mercury was mainly found in hepatocytes around the portal vein and in sinusoidal Kupffer cells 10 days post-treatment. Mercury was scattered throughout both white and red pulp of the spleen 10 days post-treatment. In terms of changes in the concentration of mercury, the levels were lower in the renal cortex and medulla 150 and 300 days post-treatment as compared with those 10 days post-treatment. Mercury was found at low concentrations in liver hepatocytes 150 and 300 days post-treatment. The mercury concentration was also low in both the white and red pulp of the spleen 150 and 300 days post-treatment. Therefore, the concentrations of accumulated mercury in the kidney, liver, and spleen 150 and 300 days post-treatment were lower than those 10 days post-treatment. We identified the localization of mercury in cells and tissues of several organs and observed that accumulated mercury in organs decreased naturally over time.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.814-824
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• 2007

Liver cirrhosis (LC) is defined as comprising diffuse fibrosis and regenerating nodules of the liver. The biochemical and anatomical dysfunction in LC results from both reduced liver cell number and portal vascular derangement. Although several studies have investigated dysregulated genes in cirrhotic nodules, little is known about the genes implicated in the pathophysiologic change of LC or about their relationship with the degree of decompensation. Here, we applied cDNA microarray analysis using 38 HBsAg-positive LC specimens to identify the genes dysregulated in HBV-associated LC and to evaluate their relation to disease severity. Among 1063 known cancer- and apoptosis-related genes, we identified 104 genes that were significantly up- (44) or down- (60) regulated in LC. Interestingly, this subset of 104 genes was characteristically correlated with the degree of decompensation, called the Pugh-Child classification (20 Pugh-Child A, 10 Pugh-Child B, and 8 Pugh-Child C). Patient samples from Pugh-Child C exhibited a distinct pattern of gene expression relative to those of Pugh-Child A and B. Especially in Pugh-Child C, genes encoding hepatic proteins and metabolizing enzymes were significantly down-regulated, while genes encoding various molecules related to cell replication were up-regulated. Our results suggest that subsets of genes in liver cells correspond to the pathophysiologic change of LC according to disease severity and possibly to hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2013

This study investigated hepatic functional improvement and anti-fibrotic effects of water extracts of black tea. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (normal, control, and two experimental subgroups: Ba, Bb) and observed for 3 weeks. Liver fibrosis in rats developed from carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) administration, except for the normal group. Except for the normal and control group, the two experimental subgroups were fed water extracts of black tea. The food efficiency ratio significantly increased in the experimental group compared to the control group. The experimental group had a significantly lower liver weight compared to the control group. The ratio of liver weight to body weight was significantly lower in the experimental group than the control group. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in serum significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group. The values of hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde in liver were even lower in the experimental group than the control group. In observations on liver histology, weaker inflammation and fibrosis were observed in the experimental group compared to the control group. In conclusion, water extracts of black tea help hepatic cells keep their functions, restraining and protecting the liver from impairments caused by $CCl_4$ administration, and can be effective as anti-fibrotic agents.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.360-366
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• 1996

Pure primary hepatic rhabdomyosarcoma in adult is very uncommon. There have been only five previous case of primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the adult liver. A case of hepatic rhabdomyosarcoma was diagnosed in a 52 year-old female. She was admitted to the hospital due to the epigastric pain and weight loss. A CT scan of the abdomen showed a large hypodense mass with focal calcification occupies most of the both lobes of the liver. The liver biopsy showed massive liver tumor composed entirely of oval shaped cells showing light microscopic and immunohistochemical evidence of rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. We report a case of hepatic rhabdomyosarcoma with review of literature.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.285-302
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• 1992

Human and rat hepatocytes were isolated by nonperfusion method and cultured for longer than 5 days. Human liver biopsy sample and rat liver were used as hepatocyte source. Several physical and chemical factors which were influencing on hepatocyte isolation procedure were examined and a batch isolation procedure was established for small size sample of rat liver. Isolated hepatocytes showed normal morphlologica characteristics in microscopy and electron microscopical examinations and a morphologica response to phalloidin. Isolated cells were cultured as a monolayer and proven to have intact morphological characteristics for longer than 15 days. Because human liver sample is harder and tighter compared with rat liver, a standard procedure for rat hepatocytes was slightly modified to reduce mechanical damage. Similarly with rat hepatocytes, isolated human hepatocytes showed a normal morphological characteristics and could be cultured for longer than 15days. Human and rat hepatocytes were examined on their functional integrities including cytochrome-P450 related enzyme activity and it's inducibility, hormonal inducibility of AIB uptake and TAT activity, albumin synthesis, DNA synthesis, cellular protein maintenance. In all parameters used in the present study, human and rat hepatocytes showed normal functional characteristics.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.139-143
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• 2008

Ingestion of raw animal liver has been suggested as a possible mode of infection of human toxocariasis, We evaluated the relationship between toxocariasis and the ingestion of raw meat in patients with eosinophilia of unknown etiology. The study population consisted of 120 patients presenting with peripheral blood eosinophilia (> $500\;cells/{\mu}l$ or > 10% of the white blood cell count). They were divided into 2 groups: 104 seropositive patients based on a Toxocara excretory-secretory IgG ELISA and 16 seronegative patients. While 25.0% of seronegative patients had a recent history of eating raw cow liver, 87.5% of seropositive patients had this history. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that a recent history of eating raw cow liver was related to an increased risk of toxocariasis. Collectively, it is proposed that raw cow liver is a significant infection source of toxocariasis in the patients with eosinophilia of unknown etiology.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.391-398
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• 2022

Polyploidization is a process by which cells are induced to possess more than two sets of chromosomes. Although polyploidization is not frequent in mammals, it is closely associated with development and differentiation of specific tissues and organs. The liver is one of the mammalian organs that displays ploidy dynamics in physiological homeostasis during its development. The ratio of polyploid hepatocytes increases significantly in response to hepatic injury from aging, viral infection, iron overload, surgical resection, or metabolic overload, such as that from non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLDs). One of the unique features of NAFLD is the marked heterogeneity of hepatocyte nuclear size, which is strongly associated with an adverse liver-related outcome, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplantation, and liver-related death. Thus, hepatic polyploidization has been suggested as a potential driver in the progression of NAFLDs that are involved in the control of the multiple pathogenicity of the diseases. However, the importance of polyploidy in diverse pathophysiological contexts remains elusive. Recently, several studies reported successful improvement of symptoms of NAFLDs by reducing pathological polyploidy or by controlling cell cycle progression in animal models, suggesting that better understanding the mechanisms of pathological hepatic polyploidy may provide insights into the treatment of hepatic disorders.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2005

Organosulfur compounds have been shown to exert an anti-cancer activity. In an attempt to develop novel chemopreventive and anti-cancer agents for liver cancer, we synthesized allylthiopyridazine derivatives. We have previously shown that allylthiopyridazine derivatives exert inhibitory effects on proliferation, invasion and migration of SK-Hep-1 hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro. The in vivo anti-tumor effect of 3-methvl-6-allylthiopy-ridazine, named as K6, was also reported. In this study, we further investigated the preclinical anti-cancer efficacy of K6 for hepatocarcinoma using nude mice xenografted with Hep-G2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. K6(20-100 mg/kg, orally administered everyday for 30 days) markedly decreased the tumor volume of Hep-G2 cell-transplanted nude mice as evidenced by ultrasonographic and plethysmogranhic analyses. The inhibitory effect on tumor volume was lower than that exerted by doxorubicin (2 mg/kg), intravenously injected) which was used as a positive control. This study shows that K6 efficiently suppresses xenograft tumor growth, revealing K6 as apotential anti-cancer agent for suppressing in vivo progression of liver cancer. Given that hepatocarcinoma is among the most prevalent and lethal malignancies and there is no effective treatment to date, our study may contribute to the potential drug development for liver cancer.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2005

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has long been used as an adjuvant or first choice of therapy for liver disease. Commonly, UDCA has been reported to play a role in improving hyperbilirubinemia and disorder of bromsulphalein. More commonly, UDCA has been used in reducing the rate of cholesterol level in bile juice that can cause cholesterol stone. The effects on the promotion of bile acid release that leads an excretion of toxic materials and wastes produced in liver cells as well as various arrays of liver disease such as hepatitis. Other than already reported in clinical use, immunosuppressive effect has been studied, especially in transplantation. In the study, we hypothesized that UDCA might have a certain role in anti-inflammation through a preventive effect of pro-inflammatory potentials in the brain macrophages, microglia. We found that the treatment of $200\;{\mu}g/ml$ UDCA effectively suppressed the pro-inflammatory mediators (i.e. nitric oxide and interleukin-$1{\beta}$) in rat microglia compared to comparators. Interestingly, RT-PCR analysis suggested that UDCA strongly attenuated the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ that was comparable with cyclosporine A at 48 h incubation. Conclusively, we found that UDCA may playa cytoprotective role in microglial cells through direct or indirect pathways by scavenging a toxic compound or an anti-inflammatory effect, which are known as major causes of neurodegenerative diseases.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.207-210
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• 1992

Oral infection of colostrum-deprived, neonatal piglets with porcine enterovirus serotype 3 can result in hepatic lesions with a short incubation period. In the thin section of the affected liver, crystalline arrays of virus particles characteristic of picornavirus were identified in the sinusoid endothelial cells and Kupffer cells. There were also cytoplasmic aggregates of electron- dense, virus-like particles in the hepatocytes. These findings suggest that porcine enterovirus serotype 3 has hepatotropism as well as neurotropism.