chondroitin-sulfates and Liver-Diseases

Topics: Animals; Antigen-Antibody Complex; Chondroitin Sulfates; Collagen; Connective Tissue; Endocytosis; Endothelium; Fibronectins; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Liver; Liver Diseases; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Proteins; Receptors, Cell Surface

During liver fibrogenesis, there is an imbalance between regeneration and wound healing. The current treatment is the withdrawal of the causing agent; thus, investigation of new and effective treatments is important. Studies have highlighted the action of chondroitin sulfate (CS) in different cells; thus, our aim was to analyze its effect on an experimental model of bile duct ligation (BDL). Adult Wistar rats were subjected to BDL and treated with CS for 7, 14, 21, or 28 days intraperitoneally. We performed histomorphometric analyses on Picrosirius-stained liver sections. Cell death was analyzed according to caspase-3 and cathepsin B activity and using a TUNEL assay. Regeneration was evaluated using PCNA immunohistochemistry. BDL led to increased collagen content with corresponding decreased liver parenchyma. CS treatment reduced total collagen and increased parenchyma content after 21 and 28 days. The treatment also promoted changes in the hepatic collagen type III/I ratio. Furthermore, it was observed that CS treatment reduced caspase-3 activity and the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells after 14 days and cathepsin B activity only after 28 days. The regeneration increased after 14, 21, and 28 days of CS treatment. In conclusion, our study showed a promising hepatoprotective action of CS in fibrogenesis induced by BDL.

Topics: Animals; Cholestasis; Chondroitin Sulfates; Common Bile Duct; Liver Diseases; Male; Protective Agents; Rats; Rats, Wistar

A time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for measuring hyaluronan concentrations in plasma and several biological fluids is described. The solid-phase immunoassay is based on the competition between aggregation of hyaluronan with the cartilage proteoglycan monomer, followed by binding of a monoclonal antibody to keratan sulfate of the proteoglycan and a biotinylated anti-mouse IgG. Fluorescence can be measured by a time-resolved fluorometer after binding of Eu(3+)-labelled streptavidin to the biotinylated IgG. The assay is precise and correlates well (r = 0.986) with the only established radioimmunoassay known. The results show that it is essential to perform a blank run without addition of proteoglycan, as endogenous proteoglycan disturbs the measurement and causes underestimation of plasma hyaluronan. The distinguishing feature of this assay is its extreme sensitivity (< 0.24 microgram/l of plasma). The mean analytical recovery after serial dilutions and addition was 100.3 and 101.3%, the within-assay and between-assay coefficients of variation were 3.67% and 7.02%, respectively.

Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Binding, Competitive; Biotin; Cartilage; Chondroitin Sulfates; Fluoroimmunoassay; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Immunoassay; Keratan Sulfate; Liver Diseases; Proteoglycans; Radioimmunoassay; Sensitivity and Specificity; Streptavidin

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; Caseins; Chondroitin Sulfates; Chondroitinases and Chondroitin Lyases; Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose; Disaccharides; Electrophoresis, Cellulose Acetate; Glycosaminoglycans; Liver Diseases; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Splenic Diseases; Uronic Acids