Nancy W. Bethea

Early hepatic microvascular injury in response to acetaminophen toxicity.

Objective: The hepatic toxic response to acetaminophen (APAP) is characterized by centrilobular (CL) necrosis preceded by hepatic microvascular injury and congestion. The present study was conducted to examine changes in liver microcirculation after APAP dosing.

Age-related changes in the hepatic microcirculation in mice.

Aging of the liver is associated with impaired metabolism of drugs, adverse drug interactions, and susceptibility to toxins. Since reduced hepatic blood flow is suspected to contribute this impairment, we examined age-related alterations in hepatic microcirculation. Livers of C57Bl/6 mice were examined at 0.8 (pre-pubertal), 3 (young adult), 14 (middle-aged), and 27 (senescent) months of age using in vivo and electron microscopic methods. The results demonstrated a 14% reduction in the numbers of perfused sinusoids between 0.8 and 27 month mice associated with 35% reduction in sinusoidal blood flow. This was accompanied by an inflammatory response evidenced by a fivefold increase in leukocyte adhesion in 27 month mice, up-regulated expression of ICAM-1, and increases in intrahepatic macrophages. Sinusoidal diameter decreased 6-10%. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) dysfunction was seen as early as 14 months when there was a threefold increase in the numbers of swollen LSEC. The endocytotic capacity of LSEC also was found to be reduced in older animals. The sinusoidal endothelium in 27 month old mice exhibited pseudocapillarization. In conclusion, the results suggest that leukocyte accumulation in the sinusoids and narrowing of sinusoidal lumens due to pseudocapillarization and dysfunction of LSEC reduce sinusoidal blood flow in aged livers.

Dietary steatotic liver attenuates acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in mice.

Objective: To determine whether hepatic steatosis is susceptible to acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity.

Hepatic Microcirculatory Dysfunction During Cholestatic Liver Injury in Rats

Objective: The present study was conducted to elucidate the sequential alterations in the hepatic microvascular inflammatory response to extrahepatic biliary obstruction.

Ethanol Binging Enhances Hepatic Microvascular Responses to Acetaminophen in Mice

Objective: Chronic alcoholism has been considered to be a risk for acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity, but little is known about the effect of binge alcohol drinking on APAP‐induced liver injury. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of ethanol binging on APAP‐induced hepatic microcirculatory dysfunction.