ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the changes and characteristics of interdigestive migrating motor complex (MMC) in rat models of acute liver failure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>30 rat models with acute liver failure were induced with D-galactosamine and another 30 normal rats were used as controls. The indexes of MMC recorded by multi-channel physiological recorder were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant differences found between the two groups in antral and duodenal MMC cycles and frequencies of duodenal and jejunal MMC III phase. Compared with normal controls, the MMC II phase in the acute liver failure rats was significantly prolonged (t=-3.97, -3.85, P<0.05), the MMC III duration of antrum and duodenum (u=-4.99, t=4.66, P<0.05) was shorter and the MMC III frequency of antrum (u=-4.73, P<0.05) was faster. In addition, the MMC cycle and MMC III phase of jejunum were significantly prolonged (u=-1.63, t=-4.94, P<0.05) and the MMC III phase duration was significantly shorter in the acute liver failure rats (t=5.10, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Significantly prolonged MMC II phase characterized by migrating clustered contraction, shortened MMC III phase and extended jejunal MMC cycles were probably the major contributors to the gastrointestinal motility disorders in the rats with acute liver failure.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Liver Failure, Acute , Myoelectric Complex, Migrating , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role and significance of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway regulating GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The HCC cell line HepG2 was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against beta-catenin. Proteins were extracted and the expressions of beta-catenin, GSK-3beta, p-GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT were detected by Western blot at 72 h and 96 h respectively after transfection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>beta-catenin expression was inhibited at both time points and the expression at 96 h was higher than that at 72 h (t = 4.43, P < 0.05). Interestingly, GSK-3beta and p-GSK-3beta expressions increased gradually at 72 and 96 h (tGSK-3beta= 4.98, tp-GSK-3beta= 29.83, P < 0.05) respectively, and STAT3 expression showed no alteration after transfection (F = 0.49, P > 0.05). Smad3 expression was increased at 72 h (t = 10.67, P < 0.05) and decreased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P < 0.05), while TERT expression decreased at 72 h (t = 4.18, P is less than 0.05) and increased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway is related to the expressions of GSK-3beta, Smad3 and TERT, but perhaps not related to STAT3 protein expression in HCC. It suggested that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway might participate in HCC genesis and development through regulating the above three factors.</p>