Cholesterol gallstones

The authors have investigated the dissolution process of human cholesterol gallstones using a scanning electron microscope(SEM). This study was carried out by comparing control gallstones incubated in beagle bile with gallstones obtained from patients who were treated with chenodeoxycholic acid(CDCA).The cholesterol gallstones for this study were obtained from 14 patients. Three control patients were treated without CDCA and eleven patients were treated with CDCA 300-600 mg/day for periods ranging from four to twenty five months. It was confirmed through chemical analysis that these gallstones contained more than 80% cholesterol in both the outer surface and the core.The specimen were obtained from the outer surface and the core of the gallstones. Each specimen was attached to alminum sheet and coated with carbon to 100Å thickness. The SEM observation was made by Hitachi S-550 with 20 kV acceleration voltage and with 60-20, 000X magnification.

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Environmental scanning electron microscopy of fresh human gallstones reveals new morphologies of precipitated calcium salts

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100131243 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 1322-1323

Author(s):

Howard S. Kaufman ◽

Keith D. Lillemoe ◽

John T. Mastovich ◽

Henry A. Pitt

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽

Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽

Environmental Scanning ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Calcium Salts ◽

Cholesterol Gallstones ◽

X Ray ◽

Ca Carbonate ◽

Scanning Electron

Gallstones contain precipitated cholesterol, calcium salts, and proteins. Calcium (Ca) bilirubinate, palmitate, phosphate, and carbonate occurring in gallstones have variable morphologies but characteristic windowless energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectra. Previous studies of gallstone microstructure and composition using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX have been limited to dehydrated samples. In this state, Ca bilirubinates appear as either glassy masses, which predominate in black pigment stones, or as clusters, which are found mostly in cholesterol gallstones. The three polymorphs of Ca carbonate, calcite, vaterite, and aragonite, have been identified in gallstones by x-ray diffraction, however; the morphologies of these crystals vary in the literature. The purpose of this experiment was to study fresh gallstones by environmental SEM (ESEM) to determine if dehydration affects gallstone Ca salt morphology.Gallstones and bile were obtained fresh at cholecystectomy from 6 patients. To prevent dehydration, stones were stored in bile at 37°C. All samples were studied within 4 days of procurement.

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Rapid weight less induced by leptin restores succeptibility to cholesterol gallstones in genetically obese (Oh/Oh) mice

Gastroenterology ◽

10.1016/s0016-5085(01)82735-9 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 120 (5) ◽

pp. A550-A550

Author(s):

H HYOGO ◽

N RANGINANI ◽

B PAIGEN ◽

D COHEN

Keyword(s):

Cholesterol Gallstones

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Ursodeoxycholic acid improves muscle contractility and inflammation in symptomatic gallbladders with cholesterol gallstones.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1088191.541204 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Cynthia Ko

Keyword(s):

Ursodeoxycholic Acid ◽

Muscle Contractility ◽

Cholesterol Gallstones

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Ezetimibe: A Drug for the Treatment or Prevention of Cholesterol Gallstones?

Current Drug Therapy ◽

10.2174/1574885512666170525153807 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Ibrahim Guillermo Castro-Torres ◽

Elia Brosla Naranjo-Rodríguez ◽

María Isabel Gracia-Mora ◽

Minerva Hernández-Lozano ◽

Isis Beatriz Bermúdez-Camps

Keyword(s):

Cholesterol Gallstones

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Role of Baicalin and Liver X Receptor Alpha in the Formation of Cholesterol Gallstones in Mice

Gastroenterology Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2020/1343969 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Geng Chen ◽

Shuodong Wu

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Bile Acid ◽

Cholesterol Metabolism ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Liver X Receptor ◽

Cholesterol Gallstones ◽

Receptor Alpha ◽

Lithogenic Diet ◽

Liver X Receptor Alpha ◽

And Oxidative Stress

This study was aimed at investigating the effect of baicalin on experimental cholesterol gallstones in mice. The mouse gallstone model was induced by feeding with a lithogenic diet, and cholesterol stones were found in the gallbladder. The lithogenic diet caused elevation of triglycerides, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein concentrations and descent of high-density lipoprotein concentration in serum. Hyperplasia and inflammatory infiltration were observed in the gallbladder wall of lithogenic diet-fed mice. We also found the increase of cholesterol content and the decrease of bile acid in bile. Real-time PCR and western blot results demonstrated that the expression levels of two enzymes (cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7a1) and sterol 12α-hydroxylase (CYP8b1)) to catalyze the synthesis of bile acid from cholesterol were decreased and that two cholesterol transporters (ATP-binding cassette transporter G5/G8 (ABCG5/8)) were increased in the liver of lithogenic diet-fed mice. The lithogenic diet also led to enhanced activity of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in serum; increased concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-6, and malondialdehyde; and decreased superoxide dismutase activity in the liver, suggesting inflammatory and oxidative stress. In addition, liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) was increased in the liver. After gavage of baicalin, the lithogenic diet-induced gallstones, hyperlipidemia, gallbladder hyperplasia, inflammation, and oxidative stress in liver and cholesterol metabolism disorders were all alleviated to some degree. The expression of LXRα in the liver was inhibited by baicalin. In addition, the LXRα agonist T0901317 aggravated lithogenic diet-induced harmful symptoms in mice, including the increase of gallstone formation, hyperlipidemia, hepatic injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress. In conclusion, we demonstrated that baicalin played a protective role in a lithogenic diet-induced gallstone mouse model, which may be mediated by inhibition of LXRα activity. These findings may provide novel insights for prevention and therapy of gallstones in the clinic.

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