AIM: To investigate the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transfection on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization. METHODS: Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)/ VEGF transfection was confirmed by im...AIM: To investigate the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transfection on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization. METHODS: Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)/ VEGF transfection was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy and immunohistoche-mistry both in primary hepatocytes and in normal liver. Cirrhotic rats were generated by thioacetamide (TAA) administration and then divided into a treatment group, which received injections of 400 μg of plasmid DNA encoding an EGFP- VEGF fusion protein, and a blank group, which received an equal amount of normal saline through the portal vein. The portal vein pressure was measured in the normal and cirrhotic state, in treated and blank groups. The average number of fenestrae per hepatic sinusoid was determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while the relative abundance of VEGF transcripts was examined by Gene array. RESULTS: Green fluorescent protein was observed in the cytoplasms of liver cells under immunofluorescence microscopy 24 h after transfection with EGFP/VEGF plasmid in vitro. Staining with polyclonal antibodies against VEGF illustrated that hepatocytes expressedimmunodetectable VEGF both in vitro and in vitro. There were significant differences in the number of fenestrae and portal vein pressures between normal and cirrhotic rats (7.40 ± 1.71 vs 2.30 ± 1.16 and 9.32 ± 0.85 cmH2O vs 17.92 ± 0.90 cmH2O, P < 0.01), between cirrhotic and treated rats (2.30 ± 1.16 cmH2O vs 4.60 ± 1.65 and 17.92 ± 0.90 cmH2O vs 15.52 ± 0.93 cmH2O, P < 0.05) and between the treatment group and the blank group (4.60 ± 1.65 cmH2O vs 2.10 ± 1.10 cmH2O and 15.52 ± 0.93 cmH2O vs 17.26 ± 1.80 cmH2O, P < 0.05). Gene- array analysis revealed that the relative abundance of transcripts of VEGF family members decreased in the cirrhotic state and increased after transfection. CONCLUSION: Injection of a plasmid encoding VEGF through the portal vein is an effective method to induce the formation of fenestrae and decrease portal vein pressure in cirrhotic rats. Therefore, it may be a good choice for treating hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension.展开更多
AIM: To determine the correlation between portal hemodynamics and spleen function among different grades of cirrhosis and verify its significance in cirrhosis staging.METHODS: The portal and splenic vein hemodynamics ...AIM: To determine the correlation between portal hemodynamics and spleen function among different grades of cirrhosis and verify its significance in cirrhosis staging.METHODS: The portal and splenic vein hemodynamics and spleen size were investigated by ultrasonography in consecutive 38 cirrhotic patients with cirrhosis (Child's grades A to C) and 20 normal controls. The differences were compared in portal vein diameter and flow velocity between patients with and without ascites and between patients with mild and severe esophageal varices. The correlation between peripheral blood cell counts and Child's grades was also determined.RESULTS: The portal flow velocity and volume were significantly lower in patients with Child's C (12.25±1.67 cm/s vs 788.59±234 mm/min, respectively) cirrhosis compared to controls (19.55±3.28 cm/s vs 1254.03±410 mm/min,respectively) and those with Child's A (18.5±3.02 cm/s vs1358.48±384 mm/min, respectively) and Child's B (16.0±3.89cm/s vs 1142.23±390 mm/min, respectively)cirrhosis.Patients with ascites had much lower portal flow velocity and volume (13.0±1.72 cm/s vs 1078±533 mm/min) than those without ascites (18.6±2.60 cm/s vs 1394±354 mm/min).There was no statistical difference between patients with mild and severe esophageal varices. The portal vein diameter was not significantly different among the above groups.There were significant differences in splenic vein diameter,flow velocity and white blood cell count, but not in spleen size, red blood cell and platelet counts among the various grades of cirrhosis. The spleen size was negatively correlated with red blood cell and platelet counts (r= -0.620and r = -0.8.34, respectively).CONCLUSION: An optimal system that includes parameters representing the portal hemodynamics and spleen function should be proposed for cirrhosis staging.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogene- sis of liver cirrhosis and the correlation between VEGF and proto-oncogene c-fos and c-myc in cir- rhotic liver...Objective: To investigate the significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogene- sis of liver cirrhosis and the correlation between VEGF and proto-oncogene c-fos and c-myc in cir- rhotic liver. Methods: The proteins of VEGF, c-fos, and c-myc were identified immunohistochemically in each tissue section of 53 cases of liver cirrhosis. The correlations between VEGF, c-fos and c-myc were analyzed. The levels of VEGF protein in different Child gradings were also compared. Results: The proteins of VEGF were more highly ex- pressed in Child A and B patients than in Child C patients and controls. The expressions of both c-fos and c-myc were not statistically significant between VEGF positive and negative patients. Conclusions: The protein level of VEGF can reflect the compensation status of cirrhosis patients and may act as an anti-cirrhotic factor. The proto-oncogene c- fos, c-myc and VEGF may have different mecha- nisms in the course of cirrhosis or hepatic tumorigen- esis.展开更多
基金The National Natural Science Fundation of China, No. 30300341The Natural Science Fundation of Shandong Province, No. Y2004Z12
文摘AIM: To investigate the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transfection on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization. METHODS: Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)/ VEGF transfection was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy and immunohistoche-mistry both in primary hepatocytes and in normal liver. Cirrhotic rats were generated by thioacetamide (TAA) administration and then divided into a treatment group, which received injections of 400 μg of plasmid DNA encoding an EGFP- VEGF fusion protein, and a blank group, which received an equal amount of normal saline through the portal vein. The portal vein pressure was measured in the normal and cirrhotic state, in treated and blank groups. The average number of fenestrae per hepatic sinusoid was determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while the relative abundance of VEGF transcripts was examined by Gene array. RESULTS: Green fluorescent protein was observed in the cytoplasms of liver cells under immunofluorescence microscopy 24 h after transfection with EGFP/VEGF plasmid in vitro. Staining with polyclonal antibodies against VEGF illustrated that hepatocytes expressedimmunodetectable VEGF both in vitro and in vitro. There were significant differences in the number of fenestrae and portal vein pressures between normal and cirrhotic rats (7.40 ± 1.71 vs 2.30 ± 1.16 and 9.32 ± 0.85 cmH2O vs 17.92 ± 0.90 cmH2O, P < 0.01), between cirrhotic and treated rats (2.30 ± 1.16 cmH2O vs 4.60 ± 1.65 and 17.92 ± 0.90 cmH2O vs 15.52 ± 0.93 cmH2O, P < 0.05) and between the treatment group and the blank group (4.60 ± 1.65 cmH2O vs 2.10 ± 1.10 cmH2O and 15.52 ± 0.93 cmH2O vs 17.26 ± 1.80 cmH2O, P < 0.05). Gene- array analysis revealed that the relative abundance of transcripts of VEGF family members decreased in the cirrhotic state and increased after transfection. CONCLUSION: Injection of a plasmid encoding VEGF through the portal vein is an effective method to induce the formation of fenestrae and decrease portal vein pressure in cirrhotic rats. Therefore, it may be a good choice for treating hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
基金Supported by the National Science Fund or Foundation for Postdoctoral Fellows in China,No.2001.6the Medical Science Found of Shandong Province,No.1999CA2BJBA1.
文摘AIM: To determine the correlation between portal hemodynamics and spleen function among different grades of cirrhosis and verify its significance in cirrhosis staging.METHODS: The portal and splenic vein hemodynamics and spleen size were investigated by ultrasonography in consecutive 38 cirrhotic patients with cirrhosis (Child's grades A to C) and 20 normal controls. The differences were compared in portal vein diameter and flow velocity between patients with and without ascites and between patients with mild and severe esophageal varices. The correlation between peripheral blood cell counts and Child's grades was also determined.RESULTS: The portal flow velocity and volume were significantly lower in patients with Child's C (12.25±1.67 cm/s vs 788.59±234 mm/min, respectively) cirrhosis compared to controls (19.55±3.28 cm/s vs 1254.03±410 mm/min,respectively) and those with Child's A (18.5±3.02 cm/s vs1358.48±384 mm/min, respectively) and Child's B (16.0±3.89cm/s vs 1142.23±390 mm/min, respectively)cirrhosis.Patients with ascites had much lower portal flow velocity and volume (13.0±1.72 cm/s vs 1078±533 mm/min) than those without ascites (18.6±2.60 cm/s vs 1394±354 mm/min).There was no statistical difference between patients with mild and severe esophageal varices. The portal vein diameter was not significantly different among the above groups.There were significant differences in splenic vein diameter,flow velocity and white blood cell count, but not in spleen size, red blood cell and platelet counts among the various grades of cirrhosis. The spleen size was negatively correlated with red blood cell and platelet counts (r= -0.620and r = -0.8.34, respectively).CONCLUSION: An optimal system that includes parameters representing the portal hemodynamics and spleen function should be proposed for cirrhosis staging.
文摘Objective: To investigate the significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogene- sis of liver cirrhosis and the correlation between VEGF and proto-oncogene c-fos and c-myc in cir- rhotic liver. Methods: The proteins of VEGF, c-fos, and c-myc were identified immunohistochemically in each tissue section of 53 cases of liver cirrhosis. The correlations between VEGF, c-fos and c-myc were analyzed. The levels of VEGF protein in different Child gradings were also compared. Results: The proteins of VEGF were more highly ex- pressed in Child A and B patients than in Child C patients and controls. The expressions of both c-fos and c-myc were not statistically significant between VEGF positive and negative patients. Conclusions: The protein level of VEGF can reflect the compensation status of cirrhosis patients and may act as an anti-cirrhotic factor. The proto-oncogene c- fos, c-myc and VEGF may have different mecha- nisms in the course of cirrhosis or hepatic tumorigen- esis.
