Oxidative stress and altered gene expression occurs in a metabolic liver disease model

This is the most common genetic liver disorder in children and can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in adults. Some cases may require liver transplantation. The report, published in the October 2012 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, suggests that treatment with antioxidants might be of therapeutic benefit for some individuals.

“We have evidence of oxidative stress in livers from an animal model that expresses the classical Z variant form of alpha-1-antitrypsin. The animal model recapitulates the human liver disease, in which the livers accumulate polymers of alpha-1-antitrypsin mutant Z protein, developing fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma with age”, says Dr. Marcus. Potentially, non-invasive treatment involving long-term regulation of antioxidant levels could ameliorate the oxidative stress and retard the advancement of disease.

“This is an exciting new report which may help us understand the extreme variability between different patients with this same, single gene, metabolic liver disease. These findings may inform the pathophysiology of other liver diseases as well”, says Dr. Teckman. In clinical studies, liver disease from alpha-1-antitrypsin mutant Z protein has shown considerable variability in severity and progression, suggesting that as yet undescribed genetic modifiers may influence disease development. Based on this study, certain antioxidant enzymes involved in oxidative stress defense could be useful targets for further examination. Using microarray technology, the investigators have identified a number of potential alterations in gene expression pathways that could modify the development of liver pathologies. This information could be useful in defining genetic variants that may influence individual susceptibility and in facilitating the design of appropriate treatments.

Steven R. Goodman, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine said, “Teckman and colleagues have demonstrated that oxidative stress occurs in an animal model of Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. This suggests that antioxidant treatment may be beneficial in this most common genetic liver disorder in children.”
Experimental Biology and Medicine is a journal dedicated to the publication of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in the biomedical sciences. The journal was first established in 1903.

Experimental Biology and Medicine is the journal of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine. To learn about the benefits of society membership visit www.sebm.org. If you are interested in publishing in the journal please visit http://ebm.rsmjournals.com.

Media Contact

Dr. Nancy Marcus EurekAlert!

More Information:

http://www.slu.edu

All latest news from the category: Life Sciences and Chemistry

Articles and reports from the Life Sciences and chemistry area deal with applied and basic research into modern biology, chemistry and human medicine.

Valuable information can be found on a range of life sciences fields including bacteriology, biochemistry, bionics, bioinformatics, biophysics, biotechnology, genetics, geobotany, human biology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, cellular biology, zoology, bioinorganic chemistry, microchemistry and environmental chemistry.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

New yttrium-hydrogen compounds discovered

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have made a significant scientific breakthrough by discovering new yttrium-hydrogen compounds having serious implications for the research on high-pressure superconductivity. High-pressure superconductivity refers to…

New AI model detects ninety percent of lymphatic cancer cases

Medical image analysis using AI has developed rapidly in recent years. Now, one of the largest studies to date has been carried out using AI-assisted image analysis of lymphoma, cancer…

UTA preps giant particle detectors for neutrino project

Excavation of caverns part of Fermilab’s Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. With excavation work complete at the site where four gigantic particle detectors for the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be…

Partners & Sponsors