Hydration and nutritional status in patients on home-dialysis-A single centre study.

BACKGROUND: Over-hydration (OH) and malnutrition are prevalent among patients on dialysis therapy. The prevalence of OH and malnutrition as well as the risk factors associated with OH and malnutrition in our patients on home peritoneal dialysis (PD) and home haemodialysis (HD) are examined. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. The hydration and nutritional status of the study groups were assessed by a Body Composition Monitor. Patients who were stable on home dialysis therapy for over one year were invited to participate. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify associated factors and determine the predictors of OH and malnutrition, respectively. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients (41 PD and 47 home HD) were recruited. A 32.95% of our patients on home dialysis therapy were in OH status. There was a significance difference in the prevalence of hydration status between patients on PD and home HD (p = 0.014), as overhydration was more common in patients on PD than home HD (46.34 vs. 21.28%). Dehydration was more common in patients on home HD than PD (29.79 vs. 9.76%). Male gender, decreasing haemoglobin level and presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) were risk factors of OH on multivariable analysis. There was no significance difference in the prevalence of malnutrition between patients on PD and home HD (p = 0.27). Increasing Fat Tissue Index (FTI), height and patients on PD therapy were at higher risk of malnutrition. CONCLUSION: OH and malnutrition were prevalent patients on home dialysis therapy.

Expression of HBx and COX-2 in chronic hepatitis B, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma: implication of HBx in upregulation of COX-2.

Hepatitis B virus is a major etiological factor of hepatocellular carcinoma, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We have previously demonstrated that upregulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in chronic hepatitis B persisted despite successful antiviral therapy. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the transactivator HBx and COX-2 in hepatitis B virus-associated chronic liver diseases. Expressions of HBx and COX-2 in tissue specimens were determined by single and double immunohistochemistry. The effects of HBx on COX-2 and prostaglandin E2 production were studied by transfection. HBx was expressed in 11/11 (100%) of chronic hepatitis B, 23/23 (100%) of cirrhosis, and 18/23 (78%) of hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas no immunoreactivity was found in four nonalcoholic steato-hepatitis controls. COX-2 expression was also detected in all specimens of liver lesions except in only 29% of poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. Significant correlation between HBx and COX-2 immunoreactivity scores was found in different types of chronic liver diseases (chronic hepatitis B, rs = 0.68; cirrhosis, rs = 0.57; hepatocellular carcinoma, rs = 0.45). Double immunohistochemistry showed colocalization of HBx and COX-2 in hepatic parenchymal cells. Similar to COX-2, there was no significant change in HBx expression in patients with chronic hepatitis B after interferon and lamivudine therapy when hepatitis B virus DNA became undetectable and inflammation subsided. Transfection of Hep3B hepatocellular carcinoma cells with HBx increased COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 production. HBx was localized mainly in the cytoplasm and less in nucleus, as found in the liver lesions. In conclusion, our results strongly suggested that there was a close relationship between HBx and COX-2. COX-2 might represent an important cellular effector of HBx that contributes to hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocarcinogenesis.

Tissue specific expression and sequence analysis of a stress responsive gene Bre in adult golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).

Bre (brain and reproductive organ-expressed) is a new and putative stress-modulating gene of yet unknown function. BRE has previously been shown to interact with type 1 tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR1) and modulate the action of TNF. Apart from the brain and reproductive organs, Bre and BRE are highly expressed in steroid producing tissues such as the adrenal gland. Here we report for the first time the cloning of the Bre gene from golden hamster, a model organism extremely valuable for reproduction and steroid research, and examination of its tissue specific expression. Sequence analysis demonstrated that the peptide sequence of BRE in hamster shares approximately 99% homology with those of human, monkey and mouse. The hamster Bre gene transcribed an approximately 1.8-kb mRNA which translated a 44-kDa protein. Bre was strongly expressed in neurons and luminal epithelia of urogenital, digestive and respiratory organs. Bre was also detected in lymphoid tissues and endocrine glands. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a similar protein expression pattern. Exceptions to this included the adrenal gland, where a high level of Bre was accompanied by weak immunoreactivity; as well as the oocytes and islets of Langerhans, where BRE protein but not the mRNA was localized. These data indicated that Bre gene products were expressed in a wide variety of tissues other than the brain and reproductive organs, as was originally described. Based on our findings, we propose that Bre is a housekeeping gene in tissues that are constantly subjected to environmental hazards such as luminal epithelia. Our results further support the proposed role for BRE in endocrine and immune functions.

Nucleophosmin/B23 is a proliferate shuttle protein associated with nuclear matrix.

It has become obvious that a better understanding and potential elucidation of the nucleolar phosphoprotein B23 involving in functional interrelationship between nuclear organization and gene expression. In present study, protein B23 expression were investigated in the regenerative hepatocytes at different periods (at days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7) during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy on the rats with immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Another experiment was done with immunolabeling methods and two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis for identification of B23 in the regenerating hepatocytes and HepG2 cells (hepatoblastoma cell line) after sequential extraction with detergents, nuclease, and salt. The results showed that its expression in the hepatocytes had a locative move and quantitative change during the process of liver regeneration post-operation. Its immunochemical localization in the hepatocytes during the process showed that it moved from nucleoli of the hepatocytes in the stationary stage to nucleoplasm, cytoplasm, mitotic spindles, and mitotic chromosomes of the hepatocytes in the regenerating livers. It was quantitatively increased progressively to peak level at day 3 post-operation and declined gradually to normal level at day 7. It was detected in nuclear matrix protein (NMP) composition extracted from the regenerating hepatocytes and HepG2 cells and identified with isoelectric point (pI) value of 5.1 and molecular weight of 40 kDa. These results indicated that B23 was a proliferate shuttle protein involving in cell cycle and cell proliferation associated with nuclear matrix.

[Expression and relocation of B23 in the process of rat liver cell hyperplasia and liver regeneration].

OBJECTIVE: To study the B23 expression and relocation in the process of liver regeneration at different time periods after partial hepatectomy (PH) on healthy rats, and to study the feasibility of using B23 as a proliferation marker. METHODS: Eighteen rats underwent partial hepatectomy (PH). The regenerative liver tissues were obtained at day 1, 2, 3, 4,and 7 after PH. The expression of B23 in hepatocytes of the regenerative tissues was measured using monoclonal antibody against nucleophosmin/B23 by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The expression of proliferate cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in these cells were measured using monoclonal antibody against PCNA by both methods for comparison with that of B23. RESULTS: Expression of B23 in the steady state of liver cells before PH was hardly detected by both methods. The increased expression of B23 in the regenerative liver cells was quantitatively changed like a parabolic curve at day 1 to days 7 after PH, with the peak expression of B23 at day 3 after PH. This quantitative variation of B23 expression was similar to that of PCNA expression. The variation of location of B23 in the regenerative liver cells was observed from nucleolus (G1-S phase) to nucleoplasm (S-G2 phase) and to cytoplasm and mitotic chromosome (M phase). CONCLUSION: B23 expression is quantitatively increased and moves in location in the process of liver regeneration after PH. B23 may be regarded as a proliferation marker in liver regeneration and liver cell hyperplasia.