OBJECTIVE: We doubly coated Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC3928 with proteins and polysaccharide compounds to enhance its acid and bile resistance. The present study investigated the hypocholesterolemic effects of double-coated L. plantarum KCTC3928 in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet. The effects of live and dead bacteria were compared. METHODS: Six-week-old C57BL/6 ...

BACKGROUND: Depending on underlying aetiopathogenetic factors human gallstones contain various amounts of cholesterol, non-cholesterol sterols and bile acids, which have remained unexplored in paediatric gallstone patients. AIMS: To evaluate sterol and bile acids compositions of paediatric gallstones. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Study group included 21 consecutively cholecystectomised children. Gas-liquid chromatography was ...

2,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid (TMC), the major and non toxic metabolite of alpha-asarone (2,4,5-trimethoxy-1-propenyl benzene), retains most of the pharmacological properties of alpha-asarone, since both substances, administered to hypercholesterolemic rats at 80 mg/kg body wt, decreased total serum cholesterol, lowered LDL-cholesterol levels and kept unaffected HDL-cholesterol levels. In addition, both substances increased ...

Visfatin is increasingly associated with several obesity-related diseases. The study is to evaluate if aberrant expression of circulating visfatin occurs in gallstone disease. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to examine serum visfatin levels in 79 patients with cholesterol gallstones, 71 with pigment gallstones, and 223 healthy controls. The chemical ...

Most epidemiological surveys have confirmed the association of low HDL-cholesterol and high triglyceride levels with cholesterol gallstones. Our objective was to analyze the relationship between plasma lipid levels and common polymorphisms of ABCB11 (encoding the bile salt export pump, BSEP) and ABCB4 (encoding the phospholipid transporter into bile, MDR3) genes. ...

AIMS: To investigate the relations between the formation of pigment gallstone and the function of the intestinal mucosal barrier, as well as the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Eighty guinea pigs were randomly divided into three groups in which they were respectively given normal diet, gallstone-causing diet, and gallstone-formation diet with a ...

Recent reports indicate that glycosphingolipids play an important role in regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. We have shown that the iminosugar N-(5'-adamantane-1'-yl-methoxy)-pentyl-1-deoxynojirimycin (AMP-DNM), an inhibitor of the enzyme glucosylceramide synthase, is a potent enhancer of insulin signaling in rodent models for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this study, we ...

To investigate different responses to a high-fat/cholesterol diet and uncover their underlying genetic factors between C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) inbred mice. B6 and D2 mice were fed a high-fat/cholesterol diet for a series of time-points. Serum and bile lipid profiles, bile acid yields, hepatic apoptosis, gallstones and atherosclerosis formation ...

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Increased viscosity and supersaturation of cholesterol in gallbladder bile, as well as an impaired motility of the gallbladder, are considered to be important factors in the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones. However, the relation of these parameters has not yet been determined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bile viscosity (mPa s) was ...

Cholesterol cholelithiasis is one of the most common and costly digestive diseases. Although gallstones are usually asymptomatic and no treatment is generally required, it is imperative to treat symptomatic gallstones with or without complicated conditions. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is first-line therapy for symptomatic gallstones. By contrast, a cautious study on the ...

We recently reported that cellobiose 2-epimerase from Ruminococcus albus effectively converted lactose to epilactose. In this study, we examined the biological effects of epilactose on intestinal microbiota, bile acid metabolism, and postadministrative plasma glucose by animal tests. Dietary supplementation with epilactose or fructooligosaccharide (4.5% each) increased cecal wall weight and ...

Biliary lipids are a family of four dissimilar molecular species consisting of a mixture of bile salts (substituted cholanoic acids), phospholipids, mostly (>96%) diacylphosphatidylcholines, unesterified cholesterol, and bilirubin conjugates known trivially as lipopigments. The primary pathophysiological defect in cholesterol gallstone disease is hypersecretion of hepatic cholesterol into bile with less ...

Mice fed with diet containing 0.5 % cholesterol for 10 weeks resulted in cholesterol supersaturation in gallbladder bile which promoted the formation of cholesterol gallstones (CGS). In this study, dietary hypocholesterolaemic spices, garlic and onion (both raw or heat-processed) were examined for their antilithogenic potential by including at 0.6 and ...

Hypercholesterolemic hamsters were fed for 4 wk on diets rich in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, differing only in protein source (20 %): casein (control group, HC), whole cowpea seed (HWS), and cowpea protein isolate (HPI). Hamsters fed on HWS and HPI presented significant reductions in plasma total cholesterol and ...

Cholelithiasis is a major source of digestive morbidity worldwide. Cholesterol stones account for the majority of gallstones in the United States and other Western countries. The pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstone disease is multifactorial with key factors including cholesterol supersaturation of bile, altered biliary motility, and nucleation and growth of cholesterol ...

BACKGROUND: The presence of bacteria in bile is an important factor in the formation of pigment gallstones. The bile of healthy people is sterile and bacteria in the biliary system come from endogenous infection from the gut. Yet, the route of bacterial translocation into the bile duct is still unclear. ...

The extreme sensitivity of turkeys to aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) is associated with efficient hepatic cytochrome P-450 (P450)-mediated bioactivation, and deficient glutathione S-transferase (GST) mediated detoxification. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) protects against AFB(1) toxicity in turkeys through mechanisms that include competitive inhibition of P450-mediated AFB(1) bioactivation. To test whether dietary BHT alters ...

Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) facilitates the uptake of sterols into the enterocyte and is the target of the novel cholesterol absorption inhibitor, ezetimibe. These studies used the Golden Syrian hamster as a model to delineate the changes in the relative mRNA expression of NPC1L1 and other proteins that regulate sterol ...

We investigated the dietary and gender influences on the expression and functionality of cholangiocyte bile salt transporters and development of biliary hyperplasia in cholesterol gallstone-susceptible C57L/J and resistant AKR/J mice. C57L and AKR mice were fed chow, a lithogenic diet, or a cholic acid-containing diet for 14 days. Expression of ...

BACKGROUND: Intestinal cholesterol absorption may influence gallstone formation and its modulation could be a useful therapeutic strategy for gallstone disease (GSD). Ezetimibe (EZET) is a cholesterol-lowering agent that specifically inhibits intestinal cholesterol absorption. AIMS: To test whether EZET can prevent gallstone formation in mice. METHODS/RESULTS: Gallstone-susceptible C57BL/6 inbred mice were ...

The deleterious effects of obesity on insulin response in vasculature may be due to changes in various components of insulin signaling pathway. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate effects of dietary-obesity, removal of palatable diet, and fenofibrate treatment on protein expressions of insulin signaling pathway in rat aorta. Adult ...

Poor glucose tolerance may be an under-researched contributory factor in the high (10% to 20%) pre-weaning mortality rate observed in pigs. Insulin resistance commences at around week 12 of gestation in the sow, although there are conflicting reports in the literature about the extent to which insulin resistance is modulated ...

Although many putative sterol transporters influencing cholesterol absorption and physical-chemical factors affecting dietary cholesterol absorption have been extensively investigated, it is still unclear how biliary cholesterol contributes to the regulation of intestinal cholesterol absorption. We studied whether the gallbladder can modulate the microaggregates of cholesterol carriers, which may in turn ...

This study characterizes the factors responsible for the cholesterol reduction by Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 43121. In addition, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and protein profiling was also used to study the response of ATCC 43121 at the proteome level in the presence of cholesterol. The results show that the cell-free supernatant ...

Replacing grass silage with maize silage results in a fundamental change in the ratio of structural to non-structural carbohydrates with commensurate changes in rumen fermentation patterns and nutrient utilisation. This study investigated the effects of feeding four forage mixtures, namely grass silage (G); 67 g/100 g grass silage + 33 ...

Biliary secretion is generally considered to be an obligate step in the pathway of excess cholesterol excretion from the body. We have recently shown that an alternative route exists. Direct transintestinal cholesterol efflux (TICE) contributes significantly to cholesterol removal in mice. Our aim was to investigate whether the activity of ...

This experiment investigates the effects of maternal nutrient restriction in late gestation on the offsprings' postnatal metabolism and performance. Forty purebred Shropshire twin lambs born to ewes fed either a high-nutrition diet (H) (according to standard) or a low-nutrition (L) diet (50% during the last 6 weeks of gestation) were ...

Gallstone disease is a hepatobiliary disorder due to biochemical imbalances in the gallbladder bile. In this report, we show that activation of nuclear receptor liver X receptor (LXR) sensitized mice to lithogenic diet-induced gallbladder cholesterol crystallization, which was associated with dysregulation of several hepatic transporters that efflux cholesterol, phospholipids, and ...

Free radical-mediated damage of the gall bladder epithelium predisposes to the development of both gall bladder inflammation and gallstone formation, which often coexist. Melatonin, a pineal and gut secretory product, due to its antioxidant activity along with its effect on the aging gall bladder myocytes, inhibits gallstone formation. Melatonin reduces ...

Gallstone-related disorders are common and costly, but preventive measures are largely unexplored. Lifestyle risk factors include physical activity, obesity/overweight, and diet. Increasing consumption of magnesium appears to decrease the risk of symptomatic gallstones in men, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Understanding the role of a healthy diet in gallstone-related ...

In order to investigate whether (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) can reduce the susceptibility to cholesterol gallstone formation in vivo, cholesterol gallstones mouse model was established with lithogenic diet. Compared with the Model group, the administration of EGCG (40 mg kg(-1)d(-1) and 80 mg kg(-1)d(-1), i.g., respectively) significantly reduced the gallstone formation rates ...

Cholesterol gallstones are one of the most prevalent and most costly digestive diseases in the developed countries. Although precipitation of cholesterol from supersaturated bile is the first irreversible physical-chemical step in cholesterol gallstone formation, hepatic hypersecretion of biliary cholesterol is the primary defect in the formation of cholesterol gallstones. The ...

Human milk contains prebiotic oligosaccharides, which stimulate the growth of intestinal bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. It is unclear whether the prebiotic capacity of human milk contributes to the larger bile salt pool size and the more efficient fat absorption in infants fed human milk compared with formula. We determined the effect ...

The purpose of this study was to examine which component in the microbial protease-resistant fraction of Katsuobushi (KBR), smoke-dried bonito, is hypocholesterolemic in ovariectomized rats (OVX-rats). KBR contains two major components: oil and protease-resistant protein. Oil extracted from KBR (EX) was rich in palmitic, oleic and docosahexaenoic acids. OVX-rats were ...

The major and minor constituents of cholesterol gallstones were investigated by Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The elements detected in the center and in the shell part were calcium (Ca), carbon (C), copper (Cu), hydrogen (H), magnesium (Mg), nitrogen (N), sodium (Na), oxygen (O) and potassium (K), but Cu was absent from ...

High density lipoprotein cholesterol represents a major source of biliary cholesterol. Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is an acute phase enzyme mediating decreased plasma HDL cholesterol levels. Clinical studies reported a link between increased sPLA2 expression and the presence of cholesterol gallstones. The aim of our study was to investigate whether ...

Cholesterol supersaturation of bile is one prerequisite for gallstone formation. In the present study of Chinese patients with gallstones, we investigated whether this phenomenon was correlated with the hepatic expression of genes participating in the metabolism of cholesterol and bile acids. Twenty-two nonobese, normolipidemic patients (female-male, 11:11) with gallstones were ...

BACKGROUND: When resecting hilar cholangiocarcinoma, the surgeon cannot visualize the hilar vessels through thick connective tissue known as the plate system. Little has been reported regarding the anatomical relationship between the plate system and the extrahepatic bile duct. METHODS: Twenty-five formalin-fixed cadaveric livers were dissected carefully and 7 were sectioned ...

The objectives of the two experiments were to determine the respective effects and interactions of diet type (grass v. maize diets) and physical activity (grazing v. zero grazing) on lipogenic enzyme activities and adipose cell size in subcutaneous, perirenal and intermuscular adipose tissues and on plasma metabolites and hormones in ...

BACKGROUND: The effect of "intestinal transit" has become a new field of interest in the study of the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones. This study was undertaken to further test this notion and ascertain the relationship between impaired intestinal transit function and cholesterol gallstones. METHODS: A total of 64 hamsters were ...

AIM: To investigate the relationship among gastric xanthomatosis (GX), H pylori, dyslipidemia, and gastritis in Korea, a well-known H pylori endemic area. METHODS: A total of 771 patients who had undergone gastroduodenoscopy by one endoscopist were included in this study. Among them, 54 patients with GX were assessed for H ...

The dietary components responsible for the development of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) remain unclear. Wistar rats were divided into four groups based on their diet: a low soybean-oil diet, a low cow-fat diet, a high soybean-oil diet, and a high cow-fat diet. First, we evaluated the bile ...

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation of the gallbladder wall and mucin hypersecretion are considered to be important factors in the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstone disease. The aim of the study was to compare mucin concentration and mucin secretagogue activity with lipid peroxidation in gallbladder bile of patients with cholesterol or pigment stones. ...

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) transports in plasma, phospholipids, cholesterol, and triacylglycerol. The cholesterol associated with HDL (HDLc) is cholesterol that is scavenged from peripheral tissues back to liver. The liver converts this cholesterol into bile acids, bile salts, and esterifies the rest and secretes them into bile. Low HDLc is ...

BACKGROUND: Cholecystosteatosis is the accumulation of gallbladder wall fats leading to decreased gallbladder emptying. Ezetimibe inhibits intestinal fat absorption and prevents murine gallstone formation. However, the influence of ezetimibe on gallbladder emptying and cholecystosteatosis has not been studied. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that ezetimibe would improve gallbladder motility by ...

PURPOSE: Food stimulates changes to gastrointestinal secretion and motility patterns, however, the effect of smaller quantities of lipid, such as that contained in a lipid-based drug formulation, has not been detailed. This study aimed to examine the effects of small quantities of lipid on gastric emptying and biliary secretion. METHODS: ...

Creating a well-functioning hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) anastomosis with nondilated bile ducts remains a challenge. Our aim was to study the use in a large animal model of a novel, braided polylactide barium sulfate biodegradable biliary stent (BDBS) without external connection and with no need for later removal. Fifty swine were randomly ...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate the importance of cholesterol and bile acid concentrations in the intestinal lumen to cholesterol homeostasis, we investigated the effect of cholesterol-, bile salt- or cholestyramine-administration on the regulation of intestinal mRNA related to cholesterol and bile acid metabolism. METHODS: Male Wistar rats fed on standard ...

BACKGROUND: Cholangiopathies impair the balance between proliferation and apoptosis of cholangiocytes leading to the disappearance of bile ducts and liver failure. Taurocholic acid (TC) is essential for cholangiocyte proliferative and functional response to cholestasis. Bile acids and neurotransmitters co-operatively regulate the biological response of the biliary epithelium to cholestasis. Adrenergic ...

Adult goats (no. = 18) were supplemented with chromium (Cr, 0.5 mg/kg concentrate) for 120 days as Cr chloride and Cr yeast complex and their responses in terms of glucose tolerance and serum profiles of metabolites and hormones were measured. The goats were fed 200 g/day of the concentrate and reared under a semi-intensive ...