title: The activity of ornithine transcarbamoylase and arginase during mechanical jaundice in the rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathogenesis of morbidity and mortality associated with intervention of the biliary system in patients with obstructive jaundice is unknown. Mechanical jaundice initiates the development of morphological changes in hepatocytes with concomitant disturbances in metabolism. These are followed by changes in enzyme activity in hepatocytes and peripheral blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were divided into three groups: group 1, sham-operated controls; group 2, rats with permanent jaundice; and group 3, rats with temporary mechanical jaundice. The animals were examined at 2 weeks (groups A), 4 weeks (groups B) and 6 weeks (groups C) after surgery. We explored the impact of induced mechanical jaundice on the activity of selected urea cycle enzymes (arginase [E.C.3.5.3.1] and ornithine transcarbamoylase (OTC) [E.C.2.1.3.3]).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mechanical jaundice was found to induce changes in hepatocytic metabolism, which in turn led to disturbances in the urea cycle and the process of transamination. After relief of the mechanical jaundice (recanalization of the common bile duct), the urea cycle activity in the liver was greatly increased despite the normalization of the basic biochemical indices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the experiment confirmed the hypothesis that long-term mechanical jaundice causes lasting disturbances in hepatocytic metabolism. We conclude that the rate of nitrogen metabolism is higher after recanalization of the bile duct.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland. bbeck@slam.katowice.pl
authors.forename: Brygida
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciszek
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polaniak
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Beyga
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Król
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drozdz
authors.forename: Jashovam
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shani
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000378:metabolism*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014508:Urea; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001119:Arginase; D001663:Bilirubin