Showing papers by "Knut Jørgen Labori published in 2002"

Cholestatic effect of large bilirubin loads and cholestasis protection conferred by cholic acid co-infusion: a molecular and ultrastructural study.

Abstract: Background: Large intravenous bilirubin loads block biliary phospholipid secretion, produce canalicular membrane lesions and cause canalicular cholestasis. Cholic acid co-infusion forestalls these untoward effects. The aim of this study was first to determine whether bilirubin overload causes cholestasis through reducing the activity or the hepatic expression of the bile salt export pump ( bsep ) or Na-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide ( ntcp ) and, secondly, whether cholic acid co-infusion forestalls cholestasis by upregulating bsep, ntcp or phosphoglycoprotein 3 ( pgp3 ) expressions or activities. A further aim was to determine whether large bilirubin infusions also produce ultrastructural changes inside hepatocytes. Methods: The effects of intravenous infusion of 2 g bilirubin over 150 min on hepatic expression of bsep, ntcp and pgp3 were studied in bile acid-depleted and cholic acid co-infused pigs, and related to canalicular bile acid transport and bile secretion. Effects on hepatocyte ultrastr...