Partial Portal Vein Ligation Plus Thioacetamide: A Method to Obtain a New Model of Cirrhosis and Chronic Portal Hypertension in the Rat

To obtain a new model of chronic portal hypertension in the rat, two classical methods to produce portal hypertension, partial portal vein ligation and the oral administration of thioacetamide (TAA), have been combined. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: 1 (control; n?=?10), 2 [triple partial portal vein ligation (TPVL); n?=?9], 3 (TAA; n?=?11), and 4 (TPVL plus TAA; n?=?9). After 3 months, portal pressure, types of portosystemic collateral circulation, laboratory hepatic function tests (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) and liver histology were studied. The animals belonging to group 2 (TPVL) developed extrahepatic portosystemic collateral circulation, associated with mesenteric venous vasculopathy without hepatic destructurization or portal hypertension. Animals from group 3 (TAA) developed cirrhosis and portal hypertension but not extrahepatic portosystemic collateral circulation, or mesenteric venous vasculopathy. Finally, the animals from group 4 (TPVL?+?TAA) developed cirrhosis, portal hypertension, portosystemic collateral circulation, and mesenteric venous vasculopathy. The association of TPVL and TAA can be used to obtain a model of chronic portal hypertension in the rat that includes all the alterations that patients with hepatic cirrhosis usually have. This could, therefore, prove to be a useful tool to study the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in these alterations.     

ENDOSCOPIC MICROVASCULAR ARCHITECTURE OF THE PORTAL HYPERTENSIVE GASTRIC MUCOSA ON NARROW BAND IMAGING

Background: We evaluated the endoscopic microvascular architecture of the gastric mucosa in portal hypertension patients using the prototype of narrow band imaging (NBI). Material and Methods: The study included 103 Helicobacter pylori‐negative patients with chronic liver disease (22 without portal hypertension (group 1), 81 with portal hypertension (group 2)). Results: (i) Abnormality of collecting venules, reddening mucosa, red spots, a mosaic‐like pattern, and gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) were observed on the gastric mucosa, and an obscure change in collecting venules (73% vs 14%; P < 0.001), reddening mucosa (49% vs 5%; P < 0.001), red spots (36% vs 5%; P < 0.01) and a mosaic‐like pattern (40% vs 5%; P < 0.01) were more frequently observed in group 2 than in group 1. (ii) On magnifying endoscopy with NBI, the mucosa with an obscure change in collecting venules was demonstrated as dilation of the capillaries surrounding the gastric pits in various degrees, and reddening mucosa was observed as extended and swollen gastric pits and various degrees of dilated and convoluted capillaries surrounding the gastric pits. Red spots were demonstrated as extended and swollen gastric pits, dilated and convoluted capillaries surrounding the gastric pits, and intramucosal hemorrhage around these capillaries. GAVE was recognized as partial and marked dilatation of the capillaries surrounding the gastric pits. Conclusion: Abnormality of collecting venules, swelling of gastric pits, dilatation of capillaries surrounding the gastric pits, intramucosal hemorrhage around capillaries, and partial and marked dilatation of the capillaries were observed on the gastric mucosa in portal hypertension patients.     

Research review: DNA polymerases as molecular markers of the regenerating capacity of hepatocytes

Hepatocyte regeneration has been widely investigated, with the mitotic index and the incorporation of [³H]thymidine being used as regeneration markers. We focused on the induction of DNA replication enzymes, particularly DNA polymerases (pol) α, δ, and ε. Using rat models, we have shown that the activity of pol α in crude liver extract well represents the regenerating capacity of hepatocytes. Using pol α as an indicator, we analyzed liver regeneration in rat models under various conditions: obstructive jaundice, external or internal biliary drainage, and the obstruction of portal vein branches. It has been revealed that the ligation of the common bile duct alone induces a certain amount of hepatocyte proliferation. It was striking that external biliary drainage suppressed regeneration capacity in cholestatic rat liver after partial hepatectomy. The strong regeneration in nonligated lobes induced by portal branch ligation was similar to the liver regeneration seen after partial hepatectomy with respect to the induction of DNA polymerases. Taken together, the aspects of DNA replication, particularly the induction of DNA polymerases, may contribute to shedding new light on the regeneration of human liver. This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research and for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan, and by grants from the Uehara Memorial Foundation     

肝癌病人血浆和癌组织中血栓调节蛋白的检测

目的　检测肝癌病人血浆和肝癌组织中血栓调节蛋白 (TM )的表达 ,探讨TM与肝癌临床病理特征的关系。方法　用酶联免疫吸附夹心法检测 45例肝癌和 6例肝良性占位病人手术前后的血浆TM水平 ;用免疫组织化学法检测肝癌及肝良性占位组织中的TM蛋白表达水平。结果　术前肝癌组血浆TM水平 ( 10 .2± 5 .7)ng/mL明显高于肝良性占位组 ( 6.1± 2 .2 )ng/mL和正常人对照组 ( 5 .7± 1.0 )ng/mL ,P <0 .0 5 ;术前TM血浆水平肝癌伴门静脉癌栓组 ( 6.9± 4.5 )ng/mL和多发肝癌结节组 ( 8.1± 4.6)ng/mL明显低于无门静脉癌栓组( 11.4± 5 .6)ng/mL和单发肝癌结节组 ( 11.5± 5 .9)ng/mL ,P <0 .0 5 ;40例肝癌病人肝癌切除术前TM水平( 10 .8± 5 .3 )ng/mL与肝癌切除术后 ( 7.6± 4.2 )ng/mL相比差异显著 ,P <0 .0 5。肝良性占位组术前与术后相比差异无显著性 ,P >0 .0 5。肝癌组织中TM蛋白表达阳性的病人术前血浆TM水平明显高于TM表达阴性者 ,P <0 .0 5 ;而术后血浆TM水平两者则无显著性差异 ,P >0 .0 5。结论　肝癌病人血浆中TM水平升高 ,TM水平的高低与门静脉癌栓的形成有关     

新改良式远端脾肾静脉分流术

本文报告一种新的改良式远端脾肾静脉分流术,即脾静脉与左肾静脉侧侧吻合、脾静脉远端结扎,再将胃冠状静脉结扎。作者经治7例,初步观察疗效较好,术后无死亡,无复发出血,无肝性脑病发生。本文对这种手术的步骤和优点进行了讨论和分析。     

原发性肝癌并发门静脉高压症的外科治疗

目的 :评价原发性肝癌并发门静脉高压症的外科治疗效果。方法 :回顾性分析联合手术治疗原发性肝癌并发门静脉高压症 30例的疗效。结果 :手术死亡 1例 ,严重肺部感染、肝肾综合征及顽固性腹水各 1例。术后 1、3、5年生存率分别为 93.3%、5 3.3%、40 %。随访中共死亡 1 7例 ,死亡原因 :肝癌复发 9例 ,肝功能衰竭 5例 ,上消化道出血 3例。结论 :理性选择联合手术方式治疗原发性肝癌并发门静脉高压症是安全可行的 ,联合行胃冠状静脉栓塞和脾切除术效果良好。     

大鼠肝硬化形成过程中胃黏膜微循环内皮素A受体mRNA的表达及其意义

目的观察大鼠肝硬化门静脉高压形成过程中内皮素A受体mRNA在胃黏膜微循环血管上的表达 ,探讨内皮素及其受体对肝硬化门静脉高压大鼠胃黏膜微循环的调节机制。方法应用mRNA原位杂交确定内皮素A受体的部位 ,并进行半定量分析。结果大鼠肝硬化门静脉高压形成过程中门静脉及外周血浆内皮素水平随门静脉压力升高而降低。胃黏膜内皮素A受体mR NA主要在黏膜基底部的微循环前微动脉和后微静脉血管壁表达 ,其中动脉表达明显强于静脉。其表达与门静脉压力呈正相关 (r =0 86 9,P <0 0 5 ) ,与门静脉及外周血内皮素水平呈负相关 (r =-0 797、- 0 74 1,P <0 0 5 )。结论大鼠肝硬化门静脉高压形成过程中外周及门静脉血浆内皮素水平进行性降低 ;胃黏膜微循环内皮素A受体mRNA表达量增加 ,呈现上调趋势 ;内皮素及其受体mR NA表达变化可能与胃黏膜微循环功能障碍有关。