Evaluation of the 13C-octanoate breath test as a surrogate marker of liver damage in animal models.

Background: Octanoate (also known as sodium octanoate), a medium-chain fatty acid metabolized in the liver, is a potential substrate for non-invasive breath testing of hepatic mitochondrial beta-oxidation.

Methods: We evaluated the 13C-octanoate breath test (OBT) for assessing injury in acute hepatitis and two rat models of liver cirrhosis, first testing octanoate absorption (per os or intraperitoneally (i.p.

Utility of a 13C-methacetin breath test in evaluating hepatic injury in rats.

Background And Aim: Methacetin is thought to be a good substrate for the evaluation of different cytochrome P450 enzymatic systems of liver microsomes because of its rapid metabolism and lack of toxicity in small doses. Recent studies indicate that a methacetin breath test may be a non-invasive alternative for the evaluation of liver function since it correlates well with the severity of liver damage. It may also discriminate between different stages of liver cirrhosis and correlates with the Child-Pugh score.

Thioacetamide-induced hepatic damage in a rat nutritional model of steatohepatitis.

Background: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is most often attributed to the effects of obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and drugs. It is still unknown whether livers with steatohepatitis are more vulnerable to toxic damage.

Aim: To determine the effect of the hepatotoxicant thioacetamide in a rat nutritional model of hepatic steatohepatitis.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27, has no correlation with the malignant potential of GIST.

Background: Tumor size and mitotic activity are characteristically associated with the malignant potential and prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). However, since neither small tumor size nor low mitotic activity can rule out malignancy, additional factors that may predict malignant behavior have been suggested.

Aim: To evaluate the correlation between the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDI), p27kip1, expression and the malignant potential of GIST.