Hypoxia enhances HO-mediated upregulation of hepcidin: Evidence for NOX4-mediated iron regulation.

The exact regulation of the liver-secreted peptide hepcidin, the key regulator of systemic iron homeostasis, is still poorly understood. It is potently induced by iron, inflammation, cytokines or HO but conflicting results have been reported on hypoxia. In our current study, we first show that pronounced (1%) and mild (5%) hypoxia strongly induces hepcidin in human Huh7 hepatoma and primary liver cells predominantly at the transcriptional level via STAT3 using two hypoxia systems (hypoxia chamber and enzymatic hypoxia by the GOX/CAT system).

Carcinogenic Etheno DNA Adducts in Alcoholic Liver Disease: Correlation with Cytochrome P-4502E1 and Fibrosis.

Background: One mechanism by which alcoholic liver disease (ALD) progresses is oxidative stress and the generation of reactive oxygen species, among others due to the induction of cytochrome P-4502E1 (CYP2E1). Experimental data underline the key role of CYP2E1 because ALD could be partially prevented in rats by the administration of the specific CYP2E1 inhibitor chlormethiazole. As CYP2E1 is linked to the formation of carcinogenic etheno DNA adducts in ALD patients, a causal role of alcohol-induced CYP2E1 in hepatocarcinogenesis is implicated.

Detection of carcinogenic etheno-DNA adducts in children and adolescents with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Background: Carcinogenic exocyclic-DNA adducts like 1,N(6)-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine (εdA) are formed through reactive intermediates of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) or other lipid peroxidation (LPO) products with the DNA bases A, C, methyl-C and G. High levels of hepatic etheno-DNA adducts have been detected in cancer prone liver diseases including alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In ALD εdA levels correlated significantly with cytochrome P-450 2E1 (CYP2E1) expression which is also induced in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Holes in gastric mucosa in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Gastritis cystica profunda (GCP) is a rare disease that shows multiple cystic gastric glands dispersed within the submucosa of the stomach. GCP occurs most commonly in patients who have undergone previous gastric surgery and presents as subepithelial tumor or a polypoid lesion. Here, we report the case of GCP in a 79-year-old patient who had undergone Billroth II gastric resection.

Sex-specific differences in the development of acute alcohol-induced liver steatosis in mice.

Aims: Results of several animal studies suggest that similar to humans, female rodents are more susceptible to chronic alcohol-induced liver disease (ALD). The aim of the present study was to determine whether female mice are more susceptible to acute alcohol-induced steatosis than male mice and to investigate possible mechanisms involved.

Methods: Male and female C57BL/6J mice received one single dose of ethanol (6 g/kg bodyweight) or isocaloric maltose-dextrin solution intragastrically.