AIM: To study the expression and change of growth hormone receptors in experimental cirrhotic liver in rats. METHODS: Thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis was developed in Sprague-Dawley rats. The expression of growth hormone receptor and its mRNA was investigated by radio-ligand binding assay, revere transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and digital image analysis in liver tissue or hepatocytes taken from normal control or cirrhotic rats with different stages of cirrhosis. RESULTS: Growth hormone-specific singular binding sties, namely growth hormone receptors, were detected in liver tissue or hepatocytes from rat samples with cirrhosis. The binding capacity of growth hormone receptors in rat cirrhotic live tissue was significant lower than that in normal control, and it decreased gradually along with the accumulation of collagen in the process of formation and development of liver cirrhosis. The binding sites of growth hormone receptors in rat cirrhotic liver cells were significantly lower than that in normal control. The expression of growth hormone receptor mRNA in rat cirrhotic liver tissue was also significant lower than that in normal control. CONCLUSIONS: The growth hormone receptor was expressed in cirrhotic livers at a reduced level in isolated hepatocytes or live tissue of cirrhotic rats, and lesser expression of growth hormone receptors was found in later stage of cirrhosis. The suppressed expression of growth hormone receptor was partly due to the reduced expression of its mRNA in cirrhotic liver tissue.

Objective To investigate the effect of chronic liver injury on the expression of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase(UGT) 1A1 mRNA in mice. Methods Chronic liver injury model was induced by feeding CCl 4 in mice.Thirty mice were randomly divided into three groups:control group,experimental group 1(CCl 4 was given for 1 month),and experimental group 2(CCl 4 was given for 2 months).The liver function was tested;and the expression of UGT1A1 mRNA in the 3groups was analysed by RT-PCR. Results There was significant difference in the expression of UGT1A1 mRNA between the 3 groups(P

To investigate the effects of freezing the area of first porta hepatis which involves Glisson duct system,16 pigs were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A:structures of the first porta hepatis were frozen by a dish-like cryoprobe (D=3.0cm) with temporary blockage of hepatic portal blood during freezing,the temperature at the end of 1,2,3minutes of cryotherapy was -50℃,-110℃,-131℃.Group B:sham operation,only with hepatic portal blockage for 3 minutes. Liver function tests, 99mTc-EHIDA scintiscanning,and pathological observation were used to evaluate the effects of the cryosurgery postoperatively.The results showed that the bile duct systems on first porta hepatis were severely destroyed by the cryosurgery,the cryoimpairment of common bile duct and/or common hepatic duct led to complications of progressive, irreversible, cryptic necrosis, fistula and pyogenic angiocholitis. The large freezing necrotic lesion in the porta hepatis might compress the portal vein. The perfect protection of biliary system should be accomplished in the cryosurgery of the first porta hepatis to avoid severe complications.

In order to investigate if the recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) is suitable for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) treatment,we used radioreceptor assays to detect if growth hormone receptor(GHR) was presented in 32 HCC tissues.The results showed that the growth hormone specific singular binding site,namely GHR,was detected in 28 cases. The binding capacity(R T ) of GHR was 18 4300?4 1633fmol/mg.protein and affinity constant(Kd) was 0 6432?0 1961nmol/L R T was lower ( P 0 05). The R T of the GHR was negatively correlated to the tumor's size,but was not correlated with differentiation of tumor, or the co existence of cirrhosis,GHR was absent in 4 cases. This study showed that the majority of the HCC tissue still express a low level of GHR. Before their functions are well understood, rhGH should be very carefully used in HCC patients.

ObjectiveTo study growth hormone activated regulation of growth hormone receptors (GHR) in cirrhotic hepatocytes. MethodsPrimary cultures of hepatocytes from cirrhotic rat were exposed to recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) at different concentrations of 0, 13.3, 133.3,and 1?333?ng/ml, respectively. Thereafter the binding sites of hepatocytes were detected with radio-ligand binding assay. ResultsAfter culture with different rhGH concentrations, the binding sites (10 4/cell) of receptors on cirrhotic liver cells were respectively 0.73?0.13, 1.14?0.17, 1.23?0.21, and 0.68?0.10(P

ObjectiveTo study the therapeutic efficacy of lamivudine in preventing the activity of hepatitis B virus in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B virus infection. MethodsFrom March 1999 to March 2000,72patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B virus infection were divided into 2 groups in complete randomization. In group 1,38 patients were treated with lamivudine 100mg/qd during perioperative period. Before and after operation,we detected HBV DNA with assay of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR). The control group(2) wasn't given anti-hepatitis B virus treatment. ResultsThe results showed that in group 2,the copies of HBV DNA in sera one week,two weeks after operations were significantly higher than those before the operation(P<0.01);in group 1,the copies of HBV DNA in sera one week,two weeks after operations were significantly lower than those before operation(P<0.01),all within the safety threshold;between group 1 and group 2,the indexes of ALT in sera and Child status didn't significantly change before and after operation.The postoperative complications were significantly different two weeks after operation.Conclusion It suggests that surgical interventions may result in promoting the process of HBV replication,the activity of HBV infection should be treated in perioperation, and the replication of HBV can be inhibited by lamivudine safely to the safety threshold within a short time, though lamivudine doesn't improve the liver biochemistry significantly.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of autologous tumor tissue lysate loading den-dritic cells(DC) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods The monocytes-derived DC were induced and antigen loaded with tumor tissue lysate to produce DC vaccine. Vaccination and clinical observation were conducted in 12 HCC patients for 41 times. Results The average output of DC was 1.69×107(1.69×107±9.44×106>) from 90 ml peripheral blood. 63.41% (26/41)patients appeared to develop delayed-type hypersensitivity after intradermal injection. After an average of 9 months follow up, 1 patient out of 4 recurrence and metastasis pa- tients survived for 17 months. The other three patients progressed. Out of 8 patients undergoing immunotherapy post- operatively,6 patients had no signs of recurrence and the others were found to have liver rceurrence and progression. Conclusion DC based immunotherapy is safe and feasible,with no side effects,which can be applied in the immu- notherapy strategy of HCC patients.

Objective To investigate MDR1mRNA quantitative expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma( HCC) and its relation to pathologic features, chemotherapy sensitivity, metastasis and prognosis. Methods Total RNA extracted from 47 cases of HCC and 12 normal liver tissue were subjected to analysis of MDR1mRNA expression by fluoregenic probe quantitative RT-PCR(FQ-RT-PCR). Result The level of MDR1mRNA expression was 1.4?10 3～3.6?10 6copies/?g RNA .The positive rates observed in 72% of the tumor tissue was significantiy higher than in 51% of the adjacent liver tissue and in 42% of the normal liver tissue (P

Objective To explore the mechanism by which recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) protects liver function and alleviates portal hypertension in rats with liver cirrhosis. Methods Male S.D. rats with thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis were randomly assigned to receive separately normal saline (NS, 0.5 ml) or rhGH(333 ng/kg body weight) daily by subcutaneous injection for up to 7 days. After the respective treatments, changes of GH-binding capacity (R T), GHRmRNA, relative content of collagen (RCC), malon-dialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) in liver tissue, serum albumin and ALT and portal vein pressure (PVP) were examined. Results R T (fmol/mg protein) of GHR was respectively 31?4, 40?7(P

Objective:To investigate the most effective strategy for mature induction of dendritic cells.Methods:Human monocyte-derived dendritic cells were induced in the presence of cytokines GM-CSF and IL-4. On day 6, the immature DCs were pulsed with each of CD40L, LPS, TNF-? or a cocktail of cytokines(TNF-?, IL-6, IL-1?, PGE2). DCs were harvested after 24 h induction. The surface markers for maturation CD80,CD83,CD86 and HLA-DR were detected by FCM. FITC-Dextra endocytic activity was measured by FCM. IL-12 production was detected by ELISA. The capacity of DCs for T cell activation was detected by MTT assay.Results:CD40L,LPS,TNF-? and the cocktail of cytokines all could induce DCs’ maturation. The most effective scheme for induction of maturation was the cocktail of cytokines, and the expression rate of CD83 was up to 66.91%(P