Elevated serum nitric oxide metabolites in biliary atresia

Abstract

Biliary atresia (BA) remains one of the most intractable liver diseases in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible roles of nitric oxide (NO) in BA. Serum levels of nitrite and nitrate (NO production) were determined using a colorimetric method from 65 post-operative BA patients and 12 healthy children. The patients were categorized into two groups according to their jaundice status, and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, a marker for liver injury). Unpaired t tests were used. Data are expressed as mean and SD in terms of mumol/l. Age and gender between BA patients and controls were comparable. Serum NO metabolites of BA patients was higher than the controls (79.77+/-21.22 vs. 65.75+/-9.44, P=0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that there was no difference in serum nitrate/nitrite levels of BA patients without jaundice compared to those with jaundice (78.85+/-23.23 vs. 80.90+/-18.76, P=0.70). However, patients with serum ALT> or =100 IU/l had higher levels of serum NO metabolites compared to those with serum ALT<100 IU/l. In conclusion, NO production was elevated in BA patients compared to normal controls. Serum NO was associated with serum ALT levels, but not with jaundice status, in BA patients. These suggest that NO plays a role in the pathophysiology of liver injury in post-operative BA.

High-dose steroids do not improve early outcome in biliary atresia

“…In addition, a number of cellular inflammatory markers have been studied including CD14-positive macrophages which secrete a number of inflammatory cytokines into the periductular tissue when activated by endotoxin [21]. Molecules involved in inflammatory pathways including ICAM-1 [7], nitric oxide metabolites [22], interleukin-8 [23], and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [24] have been proposed to be involved in the pathophysiology of progressive liver fibrosis in BA.…”

Overexpression of hepatic inducible nitric oxide synthase in biliary atresia

“…Perhaps the significant direct cellular effect of NO with respect to hepatic injury concerns apoptosis 28 . Our previous studies also demonstrated that there is an elevation of systemic NO production (serum nitrites and nitrates) in post‐operative BA patients 16 . Therefore, possible implications of hepatic iNOS expression in the pathophysiology of liver injury in BA are obvious.…”

“…Although we do not believe that the roles of iNOS are identical in BA and primary biliary cirrhosis, they may share some resultant NO effects. In addition, our previous results show that there is an elevation in systemic NO production (serum nitrate and nitrite levels) in BA patients 16 . Interestingly, the elevated NO production is associated with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, a marker for liver injury 16 .…”

“…In addition, our previous results show that there is an elevation in systemic NO production (serum nitrate and nitrite levels) in BA patients 16 . Interestingly, the elevated NO production is associated with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, a marker for liver injury 16 . However, there is little information available regarding the role of iNOS enzyme in BA.…”

Expression Profile of Heat Shock Protein 70 in Indigenous Huainan Partridge Chicken Exposed to Low Temperature

“…The reactive nitrogen intermediates were measured by Green's method, which involves adding 100 µL of Greiss' reagent to 100 µL of serum and reading absorbance at 550 nm using assessed using Olympus spectrophotometer. Nitric oxide was calculated from a NaNO2 standard curve indirectly (Vejchapipat et al, 2006).…”