Cirrhosis and endotoxin decrease urea synthesis in rats

Aim:  In patients with cirrhosis, endotoxemia is frequent and the vitally important capacity for urea synthesis is impaired. The patients’ mortality of infection is markedly increased, which could be related to adverse metabolic effects of endotoxins. The effects of endotoxins on in vivo urea synthe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hepatology research 2007-07, Vol.37 (7), p.540-547
Main Authors: Nielsen, Susanne Schouw, Grøfte, Thorbjørn, Tygstrup, Niels, Vilstrup, Hendrik
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
endotoxemia
hepatic amino nitrogen conversion
liver cirrhosis experimental
messenger ribonucleic acid
rats
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Summary:Aim:  In patients with cirrhosis, endotoxemia is frequent and the vitally important capacity for urea synthesis is impaired. The patients’ mortality of infection is markedly increased, which could be related to adverse metabolic effects of endotoxins. The effects of endotoxins on in vivo urea synthesis and on urea cycle genes during cirrhosis are unknown. Methods:  We examined the effects of a low dose of 0.5 mg/kg ip lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the basal urea nitrogen synthesis rate (UNSR), the capacity of urea nitrogen synthesis (CUNS), liver tissue mRNA levels of urea cycle enzyme genes, and on the metabolic liver function measured by the galactose elimination capacity (GEC) in rats with cirrhosis induced by bile duct ligation and in control animals. Results:  LPS and cirrhosis + LPS decreased UNSR by 40% (P 
ISSN:1386-6346
1872-034X
DOI:10.1111/j.1872-034X.2007.00076.x