Nitric oxide production by mononuclear leukocytes in alcoholic cirrhosis.

Nitric oxide is now established as a biological mediator of clinical relevance. The present study investigated the production of nitric oxide by lympho-mononuclear leukocytes from alcoholic patients with either hepatitis or cirrhosis. The study included 42 patients, 12 without any liver disease and 30 alcoholic patients, 13 of whom had histologically confirmed cirrhosis and 17 alcoholic hepatitis. Cells were obtained from peripheral blood by density gradient and incubated in sterile conditions in RPMI 1640 for 6 h at 37 degrees C. Culture supernatants were assayed for nitrite concentration using the Griess reaction. Cells from cirrhotic but not from hepatopathic patients showed significantly higher nitrite production than controls (cirrhotic, 0.36 +/- 0.07; hepatopathic, 0.13 +/- 0.02; control: 0.25 +/- 0.05 nmol/10(6) cells/6 h). In cirrhotic patients L-Nitro-arginine methylester inhibited nitrite production (0.18 +/- 0.05). These data suggest that alcoholic cirrhotic but nonhepatopathic patients show an increased nitric oxide production by blood lymphomononuclear cells. This production could be involved in the systemic vasodilation in cirrhotic patients.

[N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase in jaundice syndrome]. / Estudio del enzima N-acetil-B-D-glucosaminidasa en el síndrome ictérico.

The seric activity of the enzyme NAG (N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase) was studied in 3 groups of patients with jaundice of different etiology (extrahepatic, intrahepatic and acute hepatitis) and in a control group, in order to observe the discrimination capacity of this enzyme in each group. After the use of a fluorimetric method, the results were exposed, applying the statistical test, comparing different variables; the results are discussed and we conclude that NAG is an enzyme of easy detection and low cost to be included in the group of tests to study the biological pattern of jaundice.