We compared the pigment of melanosis coli with the pigment of Dubin-Johnson syndrome, melanin, and lipofuscin. The pigment of melanosis coli appeared similar to lipofuscin in that it stained positively with periodic acid-Schiff, oil red-0 and Victoria blue stains and revealed negative reactions to the immunohistochemical stains for S-100 protein and neuron specific enolase, but had similarity to melanin as shown by the positive reaction to Fontana-Masson stain and negative autofluorescence. The pigment of Dubin-Johnson syndrome showed the same histochemical and immunohistochemical characteristics as that of melanosis coli. The results indicate that the pigments of melanosis coli and Dubin-Johnson syndrome are identical and are variants of lipofuscin.
Case Report ; Colonic Diseases/*metabolism ; Comparative Study ; Histocytochemistry ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Jaundice, Chronic Idiopathic/*metabolism ; Male ; Melanosis/*metabolism ; Middle Age ; Pigments/*metabolism ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Glutathione is a tripeptide comprised by L-glutamate, L-cysteine, and glycine, that serves antioxygenation and deintoxication functions within the cell. Recent study has found that glutathione is the main driving force for bile salt-independent bile flow, impaired biliary excretion of glutathione can lead to cholestasis. This review focuses on hepatobiliary transport of glutathione and its role in cholestasis. Based on the evidence of choleretic effect of glutathione, enhancement of biliary excretion of glutathione may be a good strategy for prevention and treatment of cholestasis.
Animals ; Biological Transport ; Cholestasis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Estrogens ; adverse effects ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Humans ; Jaundice, Chronic Idiopathic ; genetics ; Liver ; metabolism ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Phalloidine ; adverse effects ; Ursodeoxycholic Acid ; therapeutic use