Possible Protective Role of Deferoxamine in Ameliorating Osteoporosis in a Rat Model of Liver Cirrhosis via Iron Metabolism Regulation

Abstract Background Liver cirrhosis is considered the terminal stage of many hepatic diseases of different etiologies. Liver cirrhosis was associated with increased incidence rates of some extrahepatic manifestations such as osteoporosis. Regardless of the liver disease etiology, the presence of cirrhosis implies a twofold risk of bone fractures higher than non-cirrhotic patients. The liver is the main storage depot for iron and is the primary organ that is responsible for clearing excess iron in conditions of iron overload. When the iron storage and antioxidant capacity of the liver is overwhelmed, iron overload can lead to marked oxidantmediated liver and bone injury and iron overload was a risk factor for osteoporosis via affecting osteoblast survival. Aim of the work to examine the possible protective effect of Deferoxamine (DFO) on liver cirrhosis rat model induced osteoporosis. Material and Method rats was divided into 4 groups Animal Groups: Naïve control, DFO-treated group, TAA-treated group received Thioacetamide (TAA) ip (200 mg/kg/rat) twice weekly for 12 weeks, TAA+DFO treated group received TAA intra-peritoneal in addition to DFO intraperitoneal injections (300 mg/kg/3 times/week, for the last 4 weeks of TAA injections. Results and Conclusion Deferoxamine produced significant improvement in bone mineralization alongside its significant effect on liver function test in a rat model of liver cirrhosis induced osteoporosis.

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Change in hepatic iron metabolism in a rat model of acute liver damage and recovery: a role for iron storage proteins

Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie ◽

10.1055/s-0037-1612755 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (01) ◽

pp. E2-E89

Author(s):

I Malik ◽

J Wilting ◽

G Ramadori ◽

N Naz

Keyword(s):

Liver Damage ◽

Iron Metabolism ◽

Rat Model ◽

Storage Proteins ◽

Hepatic Iron ◽

Acute Liver Damage ◽

Iron Storage ◽

Iron Storage Proteins

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P1237TISSUE-NONSPECIFIC ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE, A CULPRIT DURING ARTERIAL MEDIA CALCIFICATION BUT INDISPENSABLE DURING PHYSIOLOGICAL BONE FORMATION/-MINERALIZATION IN RATS

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation ◽

10.1093/ndt/gfaa142.p1237 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (Supplement_3) ◽

Author(s):

Britt Opdebeeck ◽

José Millan Luis ◽

Anthony Pinkerton ◽

Anja Verhulst ◽

Patrick D'Haese ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alkaline Phosphatase ◽

Bone Formation ◽

Vascular Calcification ◽

Rat Model ◽

Bone Mineralization ◽

Calcium Content ◽

Marker Genes ◽

Peripheral Arteries ◽

Calcium Phosphorus ◽

Chondrogenic Marker

Abstract Background and Aims Vascular media calcification is frequently seen in elderly and patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes and osteoporosis. Pyrophosphate is a well-known calcification inhibitor that binds to nascent hydroxyapatite crystals and prevents further incorporation of inorganic phosphate into these crystals. However, the enzyme tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), which is highly expressed in calcified arteries, degrades extracellular pyrophosphate into phosphate ions, by which pyrophosphate loses its ability to block vascular calcification. Here, we aimed to evaluate whether a TNAP inhibitor is able to prevent the development of arterial calcification in a rat model of warfarin-induced vascular calcification. Method To induce vascular calcification, rats received a diet containing 0.30% warfarin and 0.15% vitamin K1 throughout the entire study and were subjected to the following daily treatments: (i) vehicle (n=10) or (ii) 10 mg/kg/day TNAP-inhibitor (n=10) administered via an intraperitoneal catheter from start of the study until sacrifice at week 7. Calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were determined in serum samples as these are important determinants of vascular calcification. As TNAP is also expressed in the liver, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate (AST) levels were analyzed. At sacrifice, vascular calcification was evaluated by measurement of the total calcium content in the arteries and quantification of the area % calcification on Von Kossa stained sections of the aorta. The mRNA expression of osteo/chondrogenic marker genes (runx2, TNAP, SOX9, collagen 1 and collagen 2) was analyzed in the aorta by qPCR to verify whether vascular smooth muscle cells underwent reprogramming towards bone-like cells. Bone histomorphometry was performed on the left tibia to measure static and dynamic bone parameters as TNAP also regulates physiological bone mineralization. Results No differences in serum calcium, phosphorus and PTH levels was observed between both study groups. Warfarin exposure resulted in distinct calcification in the aorta and peripheral arteries. Daily dosing with the TNAP inhibitor (10 mg/kg/day) for 7 weeks significantly reduced vascular calcification as indicated by a significant decrease in calcium content in the aorta (vehicle 3.84±0.64 mg calcium/g wet tissue vs TNAP inhibitor 0.70±0.23 mg calcium/g wet tissue) and peripheral arteries and a distinct reduction in area % calcification on Von Kossa stained aortic sections as compared to vehicle condition. The inhibitory effects of SBI-425 on vascular calcification were without altering serum liver markers ALT and AST levels. Furthermore, TNAP-inhibitor SBI-425 did not modulate the mRNA expression of osteo/chondrogenic marker genes runx2, TNAP, SOX9, collagen 1 and 2. Dosing with SBI-425 resulted in decreased bone formation rate and mineral apposition rate, and increased osteoid maturation time and this without significant changes in osteoclast- and eroded perimeter. Conclusion Dosing with TNAP inhibitor SBI-425 significantly reduced the calcification in the aorta and peripheral arteries of a rat model of warfarin-induced vascular calcification and this without affecting liver function. However, suppression of TNAP activity should be limited in order to maintain adequate physiological bone mineralization.

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The APAC Score: A Novel and Highly Performant Serological Tool for Early Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10153392 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (15) ◽

pp. 3392

Author(s):

Joeri Lambrecht ◽

Mustafa Porsch-Özçürümez ◽

Jan Best ◽

Fabian Jost-Brinkmann ◽

Christoph Roderburg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

At Risk ◽

Liver Cirrhosis ◽

Early Stage ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Growth Factor Receptor ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Disease Etiology ◽

Risk Patients ◽

Scoring Tool

(1) Background: Surveillance of at-risk patients for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly necessary, as curative treatment options are only feasible in early disease stages. However, to date, screening of patients with liver cirrhosis for HCC mostly relies on suboptimal ultrasound-mediated evaluation and α-fetoprotein (AFP) measurement. Therefore, we sought to develop a novel and blood-based scoring tool for the identification of early-stage HCC. (2) Methods: Serum samples from 267 patients with liver cirrhosis, including 122 patients with HCC and 145 without, were collected. Expression levels of soluble platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (sPDGFRβ) and routine clinical parameters were evaluated, and then utilized in logistic regression analysis. (3) Results: We developed a novel serological scoring tool, the APAC score, consisting of the parameters age, sPDGFRβ, AFP, and creatinine, which identified patients with HCC in a cirrhotic population with an AUC of 0.9503, which was significantly better than the GALAD score (AUC: 0.9000, p = 0.0031). Moreover, the diagnostic accuracy of the APAC score was independent of disease etiology, including alcohol (AUC: 0.9317), viral infection (AUC: 0.9561), and NAFLD (AUC: 0.9545). For the detection of patients with (very) early (BCLC 0/A) HCC stage or within Milan criteria, the APAC score achieved an AUC of 0.9317 (sensitivity: 85.2%, specificity: 89.2%) and 0.9488 (sensitivity: 91.1%, specificity 85.3%), respectively. (4) Conclusions: The APAC score is a novel and highly accurate serological tool for the identification of HCC, especially for early stages. It is superior to the currently proposed blood-based algorithms, and has the potential to improve surveillance of the at-risk population.

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Osteoporotic Features in an Experimental Rat Model Caused by Liver Cirrhosis

Bone ◽

10.1016/j.bone.2010.01.182 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. S74-S75

Author(s):

Xing Ma ◽

Xiangdong Ma ◽

Shengchun Wang ◽

Jun Wang ◽

Xiaoming Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Cirrhosis ◽

Rat Model ◽

Experimental Rat Model

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Lipidomics reveals perturbations in the liver lipid profile of iron overloaded mice

Metallomics ◽

10.1093/mtomcs/mfab057 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Haoxuan Ding ◽

Qian Zhang ◽

Xiaonan Yu ◽

Lingjun Chen ◽

Zhonghang Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Iron Overload ◽

Iron Status ◽

Liver Lipid ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Global Scale ◽

The Body ◽

Control Group ◽

Sod Activity ◽

Liver Iron ◽

Iron Storage

Abstract Iron overload is an important contributor to disease. The liver, the major site of iron storage in the body, is a key organ impacted by iron overload. While several studies have reported perturbations in liver lipids in iron overload, it is not clear, on a global scale, how individual liver lipid ions are altered. Here, we used lipidomics to study the changes in hepatic lipid ions in iron-overloaded mice. Iron overload was induced by daily intraperitoneal injections of 100mg/kg body weight iron dextran for one week. Iron overload was verified by serum markers of iron status, liver iron quantitation, and Perls’ stain. Compared with the control group, the serum of iron-overload mice exhibited low levels of urea nitrogen and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and high concentrations of total bile acid, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), suggestive of liver injury. Moreover, iron overload disrupted liver morphology, induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, caused lipid peroxidation, and led to DNA fragmentation. Iron overload altered the overall composition of lipid ions in the liver, with significant changes in over 100 unique lipid ions. Notably, iron overload selectively increased the overall abundance of glycerolipids and changed the composition of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. This study, one of the first to report iron-overload induced lipid alterations on a global lipidomics scale, provides early insight into lipid ions that may be involved in iron overload-induced pathology.

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