TNFalpha is required for cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis in the mouse.

TNFalpha, a mediator of hepatotoxicity in several animal models, is elevated in acute and chronic liver diseases. Therefore, we investigated whether hepatic injury and fibrosis due to bile duct ligation (BDL) would be reduced in TNFalpha knockout mice (TNFalpha-/-). Survival after BDL was 60% in wild-type mice (TNFalpha+/+) and 90% in TNFalpha-/- mice.

Heme oxygenase-1 overexpression increases liver injury after bile duct ligation in rats.

Aim: To investigate the effects of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) against oxidant-induced injury caused by bile duct ligation (BDL).

Methods: Either cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP), a HO-1 inducer, or saline were injected intraperitoneally in male SD-rats. Three days later, BDL or sham-operations were performed.

Effectiveness of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage for postoperative bile leakage after hepatic resection.

The effectiveness of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) for postoperative bile leakage after hepatic resection was investigated retrospectively. Between 1997 and 2002 a series of 486 hepatectomies without biliary reconstruction were performed. Bile leakage was divided into two categories.

Contribution of angiotensin II to alcohol-induced pancreatic fibrosis in rats.

The mechanisms by which alcohol causes pancreatic fibrosis remain unknown. Recent studies have demonstrated that angiotensin II contributes to the development of fibrosis in liver, kidney, and heart injury. Here, the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril) and angiotensin II receptor antagonist (losartan) on alcohol-induced pancreatic fibrosis were examined in an intragastric ethanol-feeding model.

Evidence of estrogenic effect by the three-month-intervention of isoflavone on vaginal maturation and bone metabolism in early postmenopausal women.

Objective of the present study is to determine the estrogenic effect of isoflavone on vaginal epithelia and bone metabolism in early postmenopausal women. Twenty-two postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to either a group that was given isoflavone extract (61.8 mg) for three months or a control group that was given placebo.

Chronic intragastric alcohol exposure causes hypoxia and oxidative stress in the rat pancreas.

The effect of chronic enteral ethanol on pancreatic hypoxia was investigated using the hypoxia marker, pimonidazole. Male Wistar rats were fed an ethanol-containing diet for 3 weeks using an enteral model shown to cause pancreatic damage; pimonidazole (120 mg/kg i.v.

Evaluation of a soybean product fujiflavone P40 as an antiosteoporotic agent in rats.

The preventive effects of Fujiflavone P40 (a soybean isoflavone product) against both bone loss and periodontal alteration were evaluated using an ovariectomized rat model. Rats were divided into five groups: sham-operated (Sham), ovariectomized (OVX), OVX given Fujiflavone P40, OVX given 17beta-oestradiol, and OVX given the vehicle for 17beta-oestradiol, respectively. Fujiflavone P40 contains 46.

Cocoa extract protects against early alcohol-induced liver injury in the rat.

Oxidants have been shown to be involved in alcohol-induced liver injury. This study was designed to determine whether cocoa flavonoid extract, composed mostly of epicatechin and epicatechin oligomers, protects against early alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. Male Wistar rats were fed high-fat liquid diets with or without ethanol (10-14 g/kg per day) and cocoa extract (400 mg/kg per day) continuously for 4 weeks using an enteral feeding protocol.

Green tea extract protects against early alcohol-induced liver injury in rats.

Oxidants have been shown to be involved in alcohol-induced liver injury. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the antioxidant polyphenolic extract of green tea, comprised predominantly of epigallocatechin gallate, protects against early alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. Male Wistar rats were fed high-fat liquid diets with or without ethanol (10-14 g kg(-1) day(-1)) and green tea (300 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) continuously for 4 weeks using an intragastric enteral feeding protocol.

Beneficial effects of soybean isoflavone supplementation on bone metabolism and serum lipids in postmenopausal japanese women: a four-week study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of soy isoflavones with weak estrogen-like activities both on bone metabolism and on serum lipids in perimenopausal women.

Methods: Twenty-three healthy perimenopausal women were assigned randomly to either isoflavone or placebo groups. The isoflavone group (n = 12) received daily capsules of soy isoflavone extract (61.

Hypolipidemic action of the soybean isoflavones genistein and genistin in glomerulonephritic rats.

Effects of genistein and its glycoside genistin were studied in nephritic rats with endogenous hyperlipidemia. Male Wistar rats with glomerulonephritis caused by a single intravenous injection of nephrotoxic serum were orally given 5 mg of genistein or 8 mg of genistin/d/100 g body weight for 12 d. These isoflavones suppressed nephritis-induced severe hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, and their hypolipidemic action was almost identical.

Role of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein in early alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.

Cellular responses to endotoxins are enhanced markedly by LPS-binding protein (LBP). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that endotoxins and proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha participate in early alcohol-induced liver injury. Therefore, in this study, a long-term intragastric ethanol feeding model was used to test the hypothesis that LBP is involved in alcoholic hepatitis by comparing LBP knockout and wild-type mice.