• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권21호
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• pp.9423-9426
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• 2014

Objective: Hapatitis B visus (CHB)-induced fibrosis is a precancerous condition of liver. To explore the influence of Chongcao Preparation (Chongcao Yigan Capsule) on the function of intestinal flora and chemoprevention for patients with CHB-induced liver fibrosis. Methods: A total of 136 patients with CHB-induced liver fibrosis were randomly divided into control group treated with lamivudine (LAM) and research group added with Chongcao Yigan Capsule for totally 48 weeks. The changes of intestinal flora, secretory immunoglobin A (SIgA), serum albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PALB), IgA and IgG at different time points in both groups were observed. Results: Before treatment, there was no significant difference between two groups in each index (P>0.05). After treatment, the intestinal flora were evidently optimized in research group than treatment before (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and were apparently better than those in control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01); SIgA was obviously increased and ALB, PALB, IgA and IgG were markedly improved in research group than treatment before (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and were significantly better than those in control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions: Chongcao Yigan Capsule could regulate the intestinal flora, increase SIgA, serum ALB and PALB concentrations and significantly improve serum IgA and IgG as well as strengthen the immunological function and autologous repair capacity of patients with CHB-induced liver fibrosis.

• 동아시아식생활학회지
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.44-52
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• 2013

This study investigated hepatic functional improvement and anti-fibrotic effects of water extracts of black tea. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (normal, control, and two experimental subgroups: Ba, Bb) and observed for 3 weeks. Liver fibrosis in rats developed from carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) administration, except for the normal group. Except for the normal and control group, the two experimental subgroups were fed water extracts of black tea. The food efficiency ratio significantly increased in the experimental group compared to the control group. The experimental group had a significantly lower liver weight compared to the control group. The ratio of liver weight to body weight was significantly lower in the experimental group than the control group. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in serum significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group. The values of hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde in liver were even lower in the experimental group than the control group. In observations on liver histology, weaker inflammation and fibrosis were observed in the experimental group compared to the control group. In conclusion, water extracts of black tea help hepatic cells keep their functions, restraining and protecting the liver from impairments caused by $CCl_4$ administration, and can be effective as anti-fibrotic agents.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.501-506
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• 2000

We examined the antifibrotic effect of a methanol extract from Stephania tetrandra (ST) on experimental liver fibrosis. liver fibrosis was induced by bile duct ligation and scission (BDL/S) in rats. In BDL/S rats, activity levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminse (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), concentration of total bilirubin in serum, and hydroxyproline content of the liver were significantly increased. The ST treatment (either 100 ${m}g/kg/day$ or 200 ${m}g/kg/day$, p.o. for 4 weeks) in BDL/S rats reduced the serum AST, ALT and ALP activity levels significantly (p<0.01). Similarly, when compared to the control group, the concentration of hydroxyproline in the livers of the BDL/S rats treated with 100${m}g$ or 200${m}g$ ST treated rats decreased by 40% and 33% respectively, when compared to the BDL/S control group (p<0.01). The morphological characteristics of fibrotic liver that were observed in the BDL/S control group, improved in the ST treated BDL/S group. In the fibrotic liver of BDL/S rats treated with ST, a marked reduction in the numbers of alpha smooth muscle cell actin positive stellate cells was observed. These results indicate that doses of either 100 or 200 ${m}g/kg/day$ of methanol extract from S. tetrandra, had an antifibrotic effect in rats with liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation and scission.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.181-187
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• 2010

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the critical causative factors leading to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage, ranging from simple uncomplicated liver steatosis (fatty liver) to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. It has been believed that the obvious underlying cause for ALD is due to hepatocyte death induced by alcohol itself. However, recent sparkling studies have shown that diverse immune responses contribute to ALD because liver is enriched with numerous immune cells. Especially, a line of evidence has suggested that innate immune cells such as Kupffer cells and natural killer (NK)/NKT cells are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of ALD via production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators. Indeed, more interestingly, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), known as a major cell inducing liver steatosis and fibrosis, can be killed by liver NK cells, which could be suppressed by chronic alcohol consumption. In this review, with the view of liver as predominant innate immune organ, we describe the pathogenesis of ALD in which what roles of innate immune cells are and how they are interacting with HSCs.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.101-108
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• 2022

High-fat diet (HFD)-fed ovariectomized (OVX) female mice were used as an animal model of obese postmenopausal women. We investigated the effects of ascorbic acid on the histological changes induced in the liver. Plasma alanine aminotransferase levels and liver weights were higher in mice fed an HFD for 18 weeks than in mice fed a low-fat diet, effects that were inhibited by ascorbic acid. Similarly, mice fed an ascorbic acid-supplemented HFD had less hepatic lipid accumulation than did mice fed an HFD alone. Moreover, administration of ascorbic acid reduced inflammatory cells, including mast cells and CD68-positive cells, and inflammatory foci in the liver and inhibited hepatocyte ballooning. Hepatic collagen levels were lower in ascorbic acid-treated versus non-treated mice. These results suggest that ascorbic acid inhibits hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in obese OVX mice. Thus, ascorbic acid intake may be useful for postmenopausal women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.253-262
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• 2021

Objective: To determine whether the values of hepatic apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) can differentiate biliary atresia (BA) from non-BA or be correlated with the grade of hepatic fibrosis in infants with cholestasis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included infants who received liver MRI examinations to evaluate cholestasis from July 2009 to October 2017. Liver ADC, ADC ratio of liver/spleen, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), and spleen size were compared between the BA and non-BA groups. The diagnostic performances of all parameters for significant fibrosis (F3-4) were obtained by receiver-operating characteristics (ROCs) curve analysis. Results: Altogether, 227 infants (98 males and 129 females, mean age = 57.2 ± 36.3 days) including 125 BA patients were analyzed. The absolute ADC difference between two reviewers was 0.10 mm²/s for both liver and spleen. Liver ADC value was specific (80.4%) and ADC ratio was sensitive (88.0%) for the diagnosis of BA with comparable performance. There were 33 patients with F0, 15 with F1, 71 with F2, 35 with F3, and 11 with F4. All four parameters of APRI (τ = 0.296), spleen size (τ = 0.312), liver ADC (τ = -0.206), and ADC ratio (τ = -0.288) showed significant correlation with fibrosis grade (all, p < 0.001). The cutoff values for significant fibrosis (F3-4) were 0.783 for APRI (area under the ROC curve [AUC], 0.721), 5.9 cm for spleen size (AUC, 0.719), 1.044 x 10^-3 mm²/s for liver ADC (AUC, 0.673), and 1.22 for ADC ratio (AUC, 0.651). Conclusion: Liver ADC values and ADC ratio of liver/spleen showed limited additional diagnostic performance for differentiating BA from non-BA and predicting significant hepatic fibrosis in infants with cholestasis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.98-101
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• 2004

Congenital hepatic fibrosis is an inherited, congenital disorder of the liver characterized by portal hypertension and hepatic fibrosis. We experienced a case of congenital hepatic fibrosis with esophageal varix in a 9-year-old male. He complained hematemesis, hematochezia, dizziness. In laboratory examination, AST/ALT was slightly increased. Esophageal varix was noted by an endoscopic examination. Hepatosplenomegaly and hypoechoic lesion of periportal area were seen by abdominal CT scanning. Histologic finding of liver biopsy showed fibrous tracts containing dilated bile ductules connecting adjacent portal spaces that were widened by mature fibrosis. Endocopic sclerotherpy and ligation was done. We summarized a case with review of literatures

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제21권12호
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• pp.1317-1325
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate whether liver stiffness (LS) assessments, obtained by two-dimensional (2D)-shear wave elastography (SWE) with a propagation map, can evaluate liver fibrosis stage using histopathology as the reference standard. Materials and Methods: We prospectively enrolled 123 patients who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy from two tertiary referral hospitals. All patients underwent 2D-SWE examination prior to biopsy, and LS values (kilopascal [kPa]) were obtained. On histopathologic examination, fibrosis stage (F0-F4) and necroinflammatory activity grade (A0-A4) were assessed. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the significant factors affecting the LS value. The diagnostic performance of the LS value for staging fibrosis was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and the optimal cut-off value was determined by the Youden index. Results: Reliable measurements of LS values were obtained in 114 patients (92.7%, 114/123). LS values obtained from 2D-SWE with the propagation map positively correlated with the progression of liver fibrosis reported from histopathology (p < 0.001). According to the multivariate linear regression analysis, fibrosis stage was the only factor significantly associated with LS (p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve of LS from 2D-SWE with the propagation map was 0.773, 0.865, 0.946, and 0.950 for detecting F ≥ 1, F ≥ 2, F ≥ 3, and F = 4, respectively. The optimal cut-off LS values were 5.4, 7.8, 9.4, and 12.2 kPa for F ≥ 1, F ≥ 2, F ≥ 3, and F = 4, respectively. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity of the LS value for detecting cirrhosis were 90.9% and 88.4%, respectively. Conclusion: The LS value obtained from 2D-SWE with a propagation map provides excellent diagnostic performance in evaluating liver fibrosis stage, determined by histopathology.

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국자원식물학회 2019년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.70-70
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• 2019

Hepatic fibrosis is a common chronic liver diseases, characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) is proliferative and fibrogenic and accumulating ECM. Transforming growth factor $(TGF)-{\beta}1$ is a critical mediator of HSC activation and ECM accumulation leading to fibrosis. Tenebrio molitor (TM), known as yellow mealworms, is reported in many countries as the nutritional value of foods. Our study has aims of finding liver function improvement effect of S. cerevisiae fermented Tenebrio molitor (SCTM) in vitro model. SCTM regulates $TGF-{\beta}1$ induced hepatic fibrosis via regulation of the $TGF-{\beta}1/Smad$ signaling. Also, we compared the components increased by yeast fermentation. It is possible to make a useful insect-derived alternative food in the improvement of hepatic liver disease.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.465-475
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• 2023

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) for predicting hepatic fibrosis and native liver outcomes in patients with biliary atresia. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 33 consecutive patients with biliary atresia (median age, 8 weeks [interquartile range, 6-10 weeks]; male:female ratio, 15:18) from Severance Children's Hospital between May 2019 and February 2022. Preoperative (within 1 week from surgery) and immediate postoperative (on postoperative days [PODs] 3, 5, and 7) ultrasonographic findings were obtained and analyzed, including the SWE of the liver and spleen. Hepatic fibrosis, according to the METAVIR score at the time of Kasai portoenterostomy and native liver outcomes during postsurgical follow-up, were compared and correlated with imaging and laboratory findings. Poor outcomes were defined as intractable cholangitis or liver transplantation. The diagnostic performance of SWE in predicting METAVIR F3-F4 and poor hepatic outcomes was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Results: All patients were analyzed without exclusion. Perioperative advanced hepatic fibrosis (F3-F4) was associated with older age and higher preoperative direct bilirubin and SWE values in the liver and spleen. Preoperative liver SWE showed a ROC area of 0.806 and 63.6% (7/11) sensitivity and 86.4% (19/22) specificity at a cutoff of 17.5 kPa for diagnosing F3-F4. The poor outcome group included five patients with intractable cholangitis and three undergoing liver transplantation who showed high postoperative liver SWE values. Liver SWE on PODs 3-7 showed ROC areas of 0.783-0.891 for predicting poor outcomes, and a cutoff value of 10.3 kPa for SWE on POD 3 had 100% (8/8) sensitivity and 73.9% (17/23) specificity. Conclusion: Preoperative liver SWE can predict advanced hepatic fibrosis, and immediate postoperative liver SWE can predict poor native liver outcomes in patients with biliary atresia.