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A mouse model of hepatic encephalopathy: bile duct ligation induces brain ammonia overload, glial cell activation and neuroinflammation.

ABSTRACT: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of chronic liver disease, characterized by an altered mental state and hyperammonemia. Insight into the brain pathophysiology of HE is limited due to a paucity of well-characterized HE models beyond the rat bile duct ligation (BDL) model. Here, we assess the presence of HE characteristics in the mouse BDL model. We show that BDL in C57Bl/6j mice induces motor dysfunction, progressive liver fibrosis, liver function failure and hyperammonemia, all hallmarks of HE. Swiss mice however fail to replicate the same phenotype, underscoring the importance of careful strain selection. Next, in-depth characterisation of metabolic disturbances in the cerebrospinal fluid of BDL mice shows glutamine accumulation and transient decreases in taurine and choline, indicative of brain ammonia overload. Moreover, mouse BDL induces glial cell dysfunction, namely microglial morphological changes with neuroinflammation and astrocyte reactivity with blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Finally, we identify putative novel mechanisms involved in central HE pathophysiology, like bile acid accumulation and tryptophan-kynurenine pathway alterations. Our study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of a mouse model of HE in chronic liver disease. Additionally, this study further underscores the importance of neuroinflammation in the central effects of chronic liver disease.

SUBMITTER: Claeys W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9585018 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A mouse model of hepatic encephalopathy: bile duct ligation induces brain ammonia overload, glial cell activation and neuroinflammation.

Claeys Wouter W Van Hoecke Lien L Geerts Anja A Van Vlierberghe Hans H Lefere Sander S Van Imschoot Griet G Van Wonterghem Elien E Ghesquière Bart B Vandenbroucke Roosmarijn E RE Van Steenkiste Christophe C

Scientific reports 20221020 1

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of chronic liver disease, characterized by an altered mental state and hyperammonemia. Insight into the brain pathophysiology of HE is limited due to a paucity of well-characterized HE models beyond the rat bile duct ligation (BDL) model. Here, we assess the presence of HE characteristics in the mouse BDL model. We show that BDL in C57Bl/6j mice induces motor dysfunction, progressive liver fibrosis, liver function failure and hyperammonemia, a ...[more]

PMID: 36266427

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Project description:Background & aimsHepatic encephalopathy (HE) is defined as a reversible syndrome and therefore should resolve following liver transplantation (LT). However, neurological complications have been reported in up to 47% of LT recipients, which have been documented to be associated with a history of overt HE pre-LT. We hypothesise that multiple episodes of HE lead to permanent cell injury and exacerbate neurological dysfunction. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of cumulative HE episodes on neurological status and brain integrity in rats with chronic liver disease.MethodsEpisodes of overt HE (loss of righting reflex) were induced following injection of ammonium acetate in bile duct ligation (BDL) rats (BDL-Ammonia) every 4 days starting at week 3 post-BDL. Neurobehaviour was evaluated after the last episode. Upon sacrifice, plasma ammonia, systemic oxidative stress, and inflammation markers were assessed. Neuronal markers including neuron-specific nuclear antigen and SMI311 (anti-neurofilament marker) and apoptotic markers (cleaved caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl2) were measured. Total antioxidant capacity, oxidative stress marker (4-hydroxynonenal), and proinflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1β) were measured in brain (hippocampus, frontal cortex, and cerebellum). Proteomic analysis was conducted in the hippocampus.ResultsIn hippocampus of BDL-Ammonia rats, cleaved caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl2 ratio were significantly increased, whereas NeuN and SMI311 were significantly decreased compared with BDL-Vehicle rats. Higher levels of oxidative stress-induced post-translational modified proteins were found in hippocampus of BDL-Ammonia group which were associated with a lower total antioxidant capacity.ConclusionsAmmonia-induced episodes of overt HE caused neuronal cell injury/death in BDL rats. These results suggest that multiple bouts of HE can be detrimental on the integrity of the brain, translating to irreversibility and hence neurological complications post-LT.Impact and implicationsHepatic encephalopathy (HE) is defined as a reversible neuropsychiatric syndrome resolving following liver transplantation (LT); however, ∼47% of patients demonstrate neurological impairments after LT, which are associated with a previous history of overt HE pre-LT. Our study indicates that multiple episodes of overt HE can cause permanent neuronal damage which may lead to neurological complications after LT. Nevertheless, preventing the occurrence of overt HE episodes is critical for reducing the risk of irreversible neuronal injury in patients with cirrhosis.

Project description:Mechanisms of the proliferation of liver are mainly studied in animal model of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). However, the PH model involves complex regeneration mechanisms, including hemodynamic factors, cytokines, growth factors, and metabolites. Among liver metabolites, bile acid (BA) is a key signaling molecule that regulates liver regeneration. This study aimed to establish a new type of rapid liver hyperplasia model induced mainly by bile acid pathway through hepatoenteral circulation with hilar bile duct ligation (HBDL). We first established the HBDL model by ligating the bile duct of all hepatic lobes but the right lateral lobe in rabbits and compared with the PVL model and sham operation group. Changes in the liver lobe and hemodynamics were observed. Liver function and the bile acid level were also analyzed. Then we verified the HBDL model in mice. Liver function and the levels of bile acids and cytokines were tested. The protein and mRNA levels of FXR, FGF15, CYP7A1 and FoxM1b in liver tissue were also analyzed. After hilar ligation of the biliary tract, the unligated liver lobes proliferated significantly. Compared with those in the sham group, the volume and weight of the unligated right lateral lobe of the liver in the HBDL group and the PVL group increased significantly (P < 0.05). Transient liver function impairment occurred both in the HBDL group and PVL group in the rabbit model as well as the mouse models. The bile acid levels in the HBDL groups of the rabbit model and mouse model increased significantly within first week after surgery (P < 0.05). The immunohistochemistry results confirmed the proliferation of hepatocytes in the unligated liver lobe. Compared with those in the sham group, the levels of FXR, FGF15 and FoxM1b in the HBDL group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the expression of CYP7A1 was inhibited. Compared with those in the HBDL group, the postoperative hemodynamic changes in the PVL group were significant (P < 0.05). The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the HBDL group were higher than those in the sham group. The HBDL model is simple to establish and exhibits good surgical tolerance. The model has definite proliferative effect and strong specificity of bile acid pathway. This is an ideal animal model to study the mechanism of liver regeneration through bile acid pathway.

Project description:Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-300 g were purchased from Japan SLC Co. (Shizuoka, Japan). The animals were housed under a daily controlled 12-h light and 12-h dark cycle at 23 °C with free access to rat chow (Japan SLC Co.) and water for 1 week prior to the experiments. Rats were laparotomized under ether anesthesia in each experiment, and the common bile duct of each rat was ligated between the liver hilus and small intestine. Control animals underwent a sham operation with exposure but without ligation of the common bile duct. After the CBDL or sham operation, animals were allowed access to food and water ad libitum. Groups of three rats were sacrificed under ether anesthesia at 1, 3 and 12 hr after the CBDL or sham operation. At the time of sacrifice, the right lateral liver lobe was removed and flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 °C. Total RNA isolated from frozen livers using TRIzol reagent (Invitrogen Co., Carlsbad, CA) was mixed to minimize variation among animals. Poly(A) RNA was purified using Oligotex-dT30 (Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan) in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Fluorescence-labeled probes were prepared by reverse transcription using a superscript II reverse transcriptase (Invitrogen Co.) and cyanine-3- and cyanine-5-dUTP (Perkin-Elmer Inc., Wellesley, MA). Poly(A) RNAs derived from rats that has undergone CBDL and from those that has undergone a sham operation were labeled with cyanine-3 and cyanine-5, respectively, and vise varsa. Fluorescence-labeled probes were purified using a MinElute PCR Products Purification Kit (Quiagen GmbH, Hilden, Germany) in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Each purified probe was suspended in hybridization buffer containing 1.6 mg/mL poly(A) (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland) and yeast tRNA (Roche Diagnostics), 0.67 mg/mL herring sperm, 16% 20 x SSC and 0.3% SDS and applied to a cDNA microarray containing 1,800 rat genes on a slide glass (Asahi Technoglass Co., Tokyo, Japan). Three house-keeping genes (GAPDH, HPRT and b-actin) and rat unrelated traits (Lambda DNA) were also spotted on the slide as internal positive and negative controls, respectively. Hybridization was carried out twice to eliminate any dye bias. In one experiment, duplicate slides were hybridized with probes derived from CBDL and control rats that had been labeld with cyanine-3 and cyanine-5, respectively. In a replicate experiment, other duplicate slides were hybridized with probes derived from CBDL rats and control rats that had been labeled with cyanine-5 and cyanine-3, respectively (color swap). Then, the slides were cover-slipped and incubated in a sealed chamber (Asahi Technoglass Co.) for 16 hrs under a humidified (65 °C) condition. After being washed in low-stringency buffer (2 x SSC and 0.1% SDS), high-stringency buffer (0.2 x SSC and 0.1% SDS) and 0.2 x SSC and then rinsing with 99.5% ethanol, the slide was dried by centrifugation at low speed and used for scanning. Fluorescence was scanned by using a ScanArray 4000 (Packard BioChip Technologies, Billerica, MA) and quantified by using QuantArray Software (Packard BioChip Technologies, Billerica, MA). Keywords: time-course

Project description:A prevailing animal model currently used to study severe human diseases like obstructive cholestasis, primary biliary or sclerosing cholangitis, biliary atresia, and acute liver injury is the common bile duct ligation (cBDL). Modifications of this model include ligation of the left hepatic bile duct (pBDL) or ligation of the left bile duct with the corresponding left hepatic artery (pBDL+pAL). Both modifications induce cholestasis only in the left liver lobe. After induction of total or partial cholestasis in mice, the well-being of these animals was evaluated by assessing burrowing behavior, body weight, and a distress score. To compare the pathological features of these animal models, plasma levels of liver enzymes, bile acids, bilirubin, and within the liver tissue, necrosis, fibrosis, inflammation, as well as expression of genes involved in the synthesis or transport of bile acids were assessed. The survival rate of the animals and their well-being was comparable between pBDL+pAL and pBDL. However, surgical intervention by pBDL+pAL caused confluent necrosis and collagen depositions at the edge of necrotic tissue, whereas pBDL caused focal necrosis and fibrosis in between portal areas. Interestingly, pBDL animals had a higher survival rate and their well-being was significantly improved compared to cBDL animals. On day 14 after cBDL liver aspartate, as well as alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, glutamate dehydrogenase, bile acids, and bilirubin were significantly elevated, but only glutamate dehydrogenase activity was increased after pBDL. Thus, pBDL may be primarily used to evaluate local features such as inflammation and fibrosis or regulation of genes involved in bile acid synthesis or transport but does not allow to study all systemic features of cholestasis. The pBDL model also has the advantage that fewer mice are needed, because of its high survival rate, and that the well-being of the animals is improved compared to the cBDL animal model.

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A mouse model of hepatic encephalopathy: bile duct ligation induces brain ammonia overload, glial cell activation and neuroinflammation.

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A mouse model of hepatic encephalopathy: bile duct ligation induces brain ammonia overload, glial cell activation and neuroinflammation.

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