Keith S. Henley

Effect of Ethanol on Collagen Formation in Dietary Cirrhosis in the Rat

Ethanol (10 or 15% in the drinking water) was found to increase the amount of collagen in the livers of rats receiving a cirrhogenic diet. This effect of ethanol was most striking in the animals receiving 10% ethanol. Ethanol lowered the amount of labeled proline incorporated into hydroxyproline and, therefore, into collagen. The amount of labeled hydroxyproline remaining in the liver 7 days after injection was greater in the rats receiving 10% ethanol than in the pair-fed controls. A net increase in collagen deposition attributable to ethanol was associated with lowered rate of collagen synthesis. The main action of ethanol in increasing the rate of collagen deposition, therefore, must be inhibition of collagen breakdown.

The transaminase content of parenchymatous liver cells.

Summary 1.A method for obtaining morphologically intact parenchymatous cells from rat liver in high yield has been presented. 2.The cells were found to contain the expected amount of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) but lost a consistent amount of glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in the course of preparation. 3.This loss of GPT was independent of the presence or absence of calcium or alanine in the suspending medium, was very rapid, and was of comparable order of magnitude at pH 6.2, 7.5, and 8.2.

Effect of quantitative undernutrition on the activities of intestinal disaccharidases in the rat.

The activities of intestinal lactase, sucrase, and maltase in rats receiving food of normal composition but in restricted amounts were compared with those of younger, normally fed control rats of equal weight. The activities of all three disaccharidases were increased in the nutritionally abnormal animals, on the basis of both fresh weight and mucosal protein content. Total intestinal lactase activity was also increased in the nutritionally abnormal rats, although total intestinal sucrase and maltase activity were not.

The redox state of the mitochondrial NAD system in cirrhosis of the liver and in chronic quantitative undernutrition in the rat.

1. 1. To determine the redox state of the mitochondrial NAD system in cirrhosis of the liver and in chronic quantitative undernutrition, the substrates of the l-glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.2) and d-β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.30) reactions were measured. The livers of animals fed ad libitum served as controls. 2. 2. Assuming these substrates to be in equilibrium, the NAD+/NADH ratio calculated from the substrates of the l-glutamate dehydrogenase reaction was lower in all three groups of animals than that calculated from the d-β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase reaction. On the other hand, the ratio ([β-hydroxybutyrate] × [α-ketoglutarate] × [NH4+])([acetoacetate] × [glutamate]) was similar in all three groups of animals. 3. 3. These data suggest that in these animals the mitochondrial NAD+-NADH system is in equilibrium provided a H+ concentration gradient can be postulated between the sites of d-β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and l-glutamate dehydrogenase.

A Cost Analysis of Alprostadil in Liver Transplantation

SummaryAlprostadil (prostaglandin Ei) administration to liver transplant recipients has been shown to result in a significant reduction in the duration of hospital admission for transplantation, and in the need for re-operations (other than re-transplants) and renal support. To study the economic impact of this finding, we examined data from a controlled trial for all single-transplant surviving patients (42 alprostadil, 49 controls) for whom complete billing records were available for transplant days -2 to +150. All costs were measured in 1992 US dollars.Patients given alprostadil had lower total charges [mean ± standard deviation (SD)

Editorial: The fading menace of hepatitis.

US175 297 ±

16,16 Dimethyl prostaglandin E2 decreases the formation of collagen in fibrotic rat liver slices.

US70 652] than patients given placebo (mean ± SD

The effect of glycopyrrolate on the course of symptomatic duodenal ulcer

US225 672 ±

PROSTAGLANDINS IN LIVER DISEASE AND LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

US187 208) [p = 0.043]. The data suggest that the use of alprostadil may have a significant favourable impact on the cost of liver transplantation.

Effect of Hypokalemia on the Reductive Amination of α-Ketoglutarate by Mitochondria from Normal and Cirrhotic Rat Liver

Excerpt For this editorial we define chronic hepatitis as histologically documented, prolonged, inflammatory disease of the liver, generally sparing the intrahepatic bile ducts, and unassociated wi...