Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cholestasis is associated with systemic and hepatic oxidative and nitrosative stress; in this scenario, the conjugated hydrophilic bile salt ursodeoxycholate (UDCA) might play a protective role. METHODS: Circulating oxidative and nitrosative stress markers were assessed in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) before and during UDCA (15-20mg/kg/day) therapy. RESULTS: In patients with stage I-II PBC, UDCA improved ALT and alkaline phosphatase levels and near normalized serum thioredoxin (1.97 ± 0.37 vs 2.41 ± 0.39 nmol/L), nitrotyrosine (15 ± 4 vs 22 ± 7 nmol/L), nitrosothiols (144 ± 28 vs 205 ± 84 nmol/L) and K-18 levels (162 ± 21 vs 228 ± 33 U/L). Conversely, less marked changes were noted in patients with stages III-IV who showed lower thioredoxin (1.01 ± 0.31 nmol/L), higher nitrosothiols (605 ± 64 nmol/L), nitrotyrosine (62 ± 13 nmol/L) and K-18 levels (521 ± 57 U/L). Overall, thioredoxin was inversely related with nitrotyrosine (r=-0.838, P<0.001) and K-18 (r=-0.838, P<0.001) levels. Nitrosothiols and K-18 were linearly and significantly related with nitrotyrosine (r=0.862, P<0.001; r=0.894, P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative and nitrosative changes in patients with PBC are effectively counteracted by UDCA. The protective effect of UDCA, however, are limited to early disease stages and progressively diminishes with ongoing cholestasis.

Autore Pugliese

• Portincasa Piero , Palmieri Vincenzo Ostilio

Tutti gli autori

• PALASCIANO G.;PORTINCASA P.;PALMIERI V.O.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Non Disponibile

Anno di pubblicazione

2011

ISSN

0009-9120

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

7

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Scopus

10

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile