title: Expression of alpha1 adrenoceptor subtypes mRNA in hepatic tissues of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of mRNA of alpha(1) adrenoceptor in the hepatic tissues of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-quantitative reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used in 12 hepatitis virus B-related cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension and 15 controls who had no history of portal hypertension. In these patients, routine liver biopsy was performed. Special alpha(1) adrenoceptor subtype product and internal standard GAPDH product were both amplified by RT-PCR. The ratio of their integral optical density (IOD) was calculated as the relative expression of the alpha(1) adrenoceptor subtypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relative mRNA expression of alpha(1a) adrenoceptor subtype in the hepatic tissues was significantly lower in the cirrhotic patients (0.26 +/- 0.12) than in the controls (0.86 +/- 0.38, P < 0.01). The relative mRNA expression of alpha(1b) adrenoceptor subtype in the hepatic tissues was also significantly lower in the cirrhotic patients (0.03 +/- 0.01) than in the controls (0.23 +/- 0.10, P < 0.01). Neither the cirrhotic patients nor the controls showed alpha(1d) adrenoceptor subtype in the hepatic tissues. The relative mRNA expression of alpha(1a) adrenoceptor subtype was significantly higher than that of alpha(1b) adrenoceptor subtype in the hepatic tissues of both cirrhotic patients and controls (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The alpha(1a) adrenoceptor mRNA expression predominates in both normal and cirrhotic hepatic tissues. The expression of alpha(1b) adrenoceptor is less marked and there is no expression of alpha(1d) adrenoceptor. The decreased expression of mRNA of alpha(1a) and alpha(1b) adrenoceptor may underlie the decrease of alpha(1) adrenoceptor proteins often seen in the hepatic tissues of cirrhotic patients, and may play an important role in the pathogenesis and maintenance of portal hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, People's Hospital, Beijing Medical University, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Leng
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1