Antimitochondrial antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis recognize both specific peptides and shared epitopes of the M2 family of antigens

Graham R. Flannery, Andrew K. Burroughs, Patrice Butler, Jeyananthan Chelliah, Jeremy Hamilton‐Miller, William Brumfitt, Harold Baum – 1 September 1989 – Sera from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis exhibit variable autoantibody reactivity against mitochondria, the commonest antigen (designated M2) including three structures of approximate M.W. 70, 50 and 40 kD. The nature of these antigens has only recently been established; the 70 and 50 kD are the transacetylase E2 and component X, respectively, of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and are distinct polypeptides.

Is increased ammonia liberation after bleeding in the digestive tract the consequence of complete absence of isoleucine in hemoglobin? A study in pigs

Charles L. H. van Berlo, Anton E. J. M. van de Bogaard, Marion A. H. van der Heijden, Hans M. H. van Eijk, Mieke A. Janssen, May C. F. Bost, Peter B. Soeters – 1 September 1989 – A variable protein‐induced toxicity has been reported in liver disease. The aim of this study was to establish the cause of increased ammonia liberation in the gut after intraluminal bleeding. Therefore, blood was sampled from catheterized piglets [20 ± 0.8 kg (means ± S.E.); n = 10] to determine ammonia, urea and amino acid levels before and 1, 2, 3 and 6 hr after a standard pig meal (750 gm, 12% protein).

Effects of propylthiouracil and methimazole on splanchnic hemodynamics in awake and unrestrained rats

Tsunehisa Kawasaki, Frederick J. Carmichael, Gwynne Giles, Victor Saldivia, Yedy Israel, Hector Orrego – 1 September 1989 – The treatment of alcoholic liver disease with propylthiouracil is based on its effect of suppressing the ethanol‐induced increase in hepatic oxygen consumption. It has been postulated that liver necrosis ensues when the increase in oxygen demand by the liver exceeds oxygen delivery to this organ. Data are now presented which show that propylthiouracil also increases portal blood flow in awake, unrestrained rats.

Prolonged duck hepatitis B virus replication in duck hepatocytes cocultivated with rat epithelial cells: A useful system for antiviral testing

Isabelle Fourel, Philippe Gripon, Oliver Hantz, Lucyna Cova, Véronique Lambert, Chantal Jacquet, Kyoichi Watanabe, Jack Fox, Christiane Guillouzo, Christian Trepo – 1 August 1989 – Duck cultured hepatocytes from Pekin ducks naturally infected by duck hepatitis B virus can remain functional twice longer if a coculture system with rat liver epithelial cells is used instead of ordinary primary culture.

Increased bioavailability of enzymes of eicosanoid synthesis in hepatic and extrahepatic tissues after portacaval shunting

Matthias Goerig, Heinrich Wernze, Burkhard Kommerell, Martin Grün – 1 August 1989 – Metabolites of arachidonic acid have been attributed to severe circulatory, metabolic and hormonal alterations in patients with chronic liver disease. In order to study changes of the tissue‐specific availability of enzymes of eicosanoid synthesis, we used portacavalshunted rats, as this model exhibits many clinical and biochemical similarities to patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver.

Enhanced acetaminophen toxicity in rats with bilirubin glucuronyl transferase deficiency

Sonia M. F. de Morais, Peter G. Wells – 1 August 1989 – Glucuronidation is the major pathway for elimination of acetaminophen, diverting it from the toxifying pathway catalyzed by cytochromes P‐450. A genetic deficiency in bilirubin UDP‐glucuronyl transferase may predispose humans and animals to the toxicity of drugs that are extensively glucuronidated, if other glucuronyl transferase isoenzymes are concurrently deficient. Homozygous and heterozygous Gunn rats are, respectively, severely and moderately deficient in glucuronyl transferase.

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