Effects of ethanol on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells-fenestrae of rats

Important advances have been made in research into the mechanism of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) over the past few years,but the role of liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) in ALD has not been elucidated adequately. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ethanol on fenestrae of LSECs in rats. METHODS: A rat model of alcoholic liver disease was established by means of direct intragastric instillation of ethanol. Fifty-five rats of experimental (35 rats) and control (20) groups were sacrificed at the end of 4,8,12 weeks respectively, and also at the end of 12-week abstinence. After heart perfusion, the liver tissue was fixed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for observation of serial changes of LSEC-fenestrae under a transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: Normal LESC was flat with a nucleus and organelles arranged regularly. The distal cytoplasm displayed as a lamina with many fenestrae, lacking the basement membrane(BM) underneath the endothelium. At the end of 4-week alcohol feeding, the number of fenestrae decreased at the distal cytoplasm in some LSECs, without the formation of the BM underneath the endothelium. At the end of 8 weeks, the number of fenestrae decreased significantly or even disappeared. The BM began to develop incompletely underneath the endothelium, while the active fibroblast appeared. At the end of 12 weeks, the number of fenestrae decreased more significantly and the complete BM could even be seen. But the changes were mostly limited in the single or adjoining sinus, and fibrosis was scarcely formed. At the end of 12-week abstinence, defenestration and formation of the endothelial BM lightened significantly. CONCLUSIONS:Defenestration and formation of the BM in LSECs develop gradually with the chronic stimulation of ethanol. Hepatic sinusoidal capillarization and fibrosis will be seen if their state is more serious. These early changes, i. e., limited and regional defenestration and capillarization may be the basis of alcoholic peri-fibrosis. This kind of he- patic fibrosis is reversible after removal of etiological factors.

Hepatic Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome without Preceding Medical Events

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) is one of the severe complications of radiation, anticancer chemotherapy and immunosuppressive agents for transplantation. Autopsy of a case of rapidly progressive, uncontrollable severe ascites, without apparent signs of preceding drug toxicity, revealed a tensely enlarged liver and spleen, and 3000 ml of ascites attributed to secondary portal hypertension. Histopathological analysis disclosed sinusoidal endothelial damage and fibrous expansion from central veins. All the foregoing indicated hepatic SOS that needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of progressive ascites in patients without an apparent history of malignancy or transplantation.

Research Progress on the Regulation of Hepatic Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells on Hepatic Fibrosis

Hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell is a highly differentiated cell in hepatic sinusoid,and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of hepatic fibrosis.The dysfunction of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells is considered to be the key cause of a variety of liver diseases.At present,the researches on hepatic fibrosis at home and abroad are mainly focused on inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells and accelerating the hydrolysis of extracellular matrix.However,there are few studies on the important role of the structure and function of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells in hepatic fibrosis.This paper reviews the research progress on the effect of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells on hepatic fibrosis and its regulatory mechanism in recent years.This paper summarizes the results of the research on the structural characteristics of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells,secretion of fibrosis-related cytokines and regulation of hepatic stellate cells activation in the development of hepatic fibrosis.

Pathological mechanisms of alcohol-induced hepatic portal hypertension in early stage fibrosis rat model

AIM： To study the role of hepatic sinusoidal capillarization and perisinusoidal fibrosis in rats with alcohol-induced portal hypertension and to discuss the pathological mechanisms of alcohol-induced hepatic portal hypertension. METHODS： Fifty SD rats were divided into control group （n=20） and model group （n=30）. Alcoholic liver fibrosis rat model was induced by intragastric infusion of a mixture containing alcohol, corn oil and pyrazole （1 000：250：3）. Fifteen rats in each group were killed at wk 16. The diameter and pressure of portal vein were measured. Plasma hyaluronic acid （HA）, type IV collagen （COW） and laminin （LN） were determined by radioimmunoassay. Liver tissue was fixed in formalin （10%） and 6-μm thick sections were routinely stained with Mallory and Sirius Red. Liver tissue was treated with rabbit polydonal antibody against LN and ColⅣ. Hepatic non-parenchymal cells were isolated, total protein was extracted and separated by SDS-PAGE. MMP-2 and TIMP-1 protein expression was estimated by Western blotting. RESULTS： The diameter （2.207 ± 0.096 vs 1.528±0.054 mm, P〈0.01） and pressure （11.014±0.395 vs 8.533±0.274 mmHg, P〈0.01） of portal vein were significantly higher in model group than those in the control group. Plasma HA （129.97±16.10 vs 73.09±2.38 ng/mL, P〈0.01）, ColⅣ （210.49±4.36 vs 89.65±4.42 ng/mL, P〈0.01） and LN （105.00±7.29 vs 55.70±4.32 ng/mL, P〈0.01） were upregulated in model group. Abundant collagen deposited around the central vein of Iobules, hepatic sinusoids and hepatocytes in model group. ColⅠ and ColⅢ increased remarkably and perisinusoids were almost surrounded by ColⅢ. Immunohistochemical staining showed that ColⅣ protein level （0.130±0.007 vs 0.032±0.004, P〈0.01） and LN protein level （0.152±0.005 vs 0.029±0.005, P〈0.01） were up-regulated remarkably in model group. MMP-2 protein expression （2.306±1.089 vs 0.612±0.081, P〈0.01） and TIMP-1 protein expression （3.015±1.364 vs 0.446±0.009, P〈0.01） in freshly isolated hepatic nonparenchymal cells were up-regulated in model group and TIMP-1 protein expression was evidently higher than MMP-2 protein expression （2.669±0.170 vs 1.695±0.008, P〈0.05）. CONCLUSION： Hepatic sinusoidal capillarization and peri-sinusoidal fibrosis are responsible for alcoholinduced portal hypertension in rats,

Effect of Semen Persicae Extract Combined with Cultured Cordyceps on Reversing Capillarization of Sinusoids In Patients with Hepato-Cirrhosis

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Semen Persicae combined with cultured Cordyceps on Reversing Capillarization of Sinusoids in patients with hepato-cirrhosis. Methods: Forty-four patients were treated for 3 months, the clinical and pathological effects were observed. Results: Patients were improved clinically.Pathological examination on liver biopsy of 6 patients also showed improvement in of capillarization of sinusoid,which mainly manifested by reduction of enlarged interhepatocellular spaces and collagen fiber in it, increase of lipid droplets within fat-storing cells (FSC), and decrease of proliferation of Kupffer cells. Conclusion: The combined treatment used could reverse the capillarization of sinusoid, and the mechanism might be related with its inhibition on activity and function of FSC.

Active Components Formulation Developed from Fuzheng Huayu Recipe for Anti-Liver Fibrosis

Objective:To screen the active components from Fuzheng Huayu Recipe(FZHY)and redesign a new recipe composed of the active components,and validate the effect of active components formulation from FZHY against liver fibrosis.Methods:Thirty-two components from FZHY were evaluated for their activities against liver fibrosis respectively,with 6 kinds of cell models in vitro,including oxidative stressed hepatocyte in L-02,hypoxia injured/proliferative hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells in SK-HEP-1 and human hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells(HHSEC),and activated hepatic stellate cell in LX-2.The comprehensive activity of each component against liver fibrosis was scored according to the role of original herbs in FZHY and cell functions in fibrogenesis.Totally 7 active components were selected and combined with equal proportion to form a novel active components formulation(ACF).The efficacy of ACF on liver fibrosis were evaluated on activation of LX-2 and proliferation of HHSEC in vitro and in liver fibrosis model mice induced by dimethylnitrosamine(DMN).Totally 72 mice were divided into6 groups using a random number table,including normal,high-dose ACF control(20μmol/L×7 components/kg body weight),model,low-,medium-,high-dose ACF groups(5,10,20μmol/L×7 components/kg body weight,respectively).Hematoxylin eosin and Sirius red stainings were used to observe inflammation and fibrosis change of liver tissue;scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)were utilized to observe the effect of ACF on ultrastructure of hepatic sinusoids.Results:Fifteen components from FZHY showed higher scores for their activity on against liver fibrosis.Among them,7 components including tanshinoneⅡA,salvianolic acid B,cordycepin,amygdalin,quercetin,protopanaxatriol,and schizandrin B were recombined with equal proportions to form ACF.ACF at 1,2,4μmol/L showed strong inhibitory effects on activation of LX-2 and proliferation of HHSEC in vitro(all P<0.01).Compared with the model group,ACF attenuated liver collagen deposition,improved sinusoidal capillarization in a dose-dependent manner(all P<0.05).Conclusions:ACF exerts a satisfactory effect against experimental liver fibrosis and attenuates sinusoidal capillarization,which warrant a further research and development for herbal components formulation on liver fibrosis.