Altered modulation of soluble guanylate cyclase in lymphocytes from patients with liver disease

• Published in: Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) Vol. 80; no. 2; pp. 117 - 123
• Main Authors: CORBALAN, Regina, MINANA, Maria-Dolores, DEL OLMO, Juan A, SERRA, Miguel A, RODRIGO, José M, FELIPO, Vicente
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01-02-2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cyclic AMP - blood; Enzyme Activation - physiology; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Guanylate Cyclase - metabolism; Hepatic Encephalopathy - blood; Hepatic Encephalopathy - enzymology; Hepatic Encephalopathy - pathology; Humans; Hyperammonemia - blood; Hyperammonemia - enzymology; Hyperammonemia - pathology; Liver Diseases - blood; Liver Diseases - enzymology; Liver Diseases - pathology; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Lymphocytes - enzymology; Lymphocytes - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nitric Oxide - physiology; Other diseases. Semiology; Solubility; Human; Nervous system diseases; Biochemical analysis; Enzyme; Pathogenesis; Transferases; Hyperammonemia; Hepatic disease; Soluble form; Cerebral disorder; Infection; Ammonia; Cirrhosis; Metabolic disorder; Chronic; Guanylate kinase; Viral disease; Nitric oxide; Encephalopathy; Central nervous system disease; Digestive diseases; Lymphocyte; Viral hepatitis C
• ISSN: 0946-2716; 1432-1440
• DOI: 10.1007/s00109-001-0286-2

Studies of animal models suggest that the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase by nitric oxide is altered in liver disease. We studied 77 patients with liver disease and 17 controls, to investigate whether the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase is altered in lymphocytes from patients with liver disease. The basal content of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) in lymphocytes was decreased both in patients with liver cirrhosis (by 52%) and in patients with chronic hepatitis (by 62%). Activation of soluble guanylate cyclase by nitric oxide was higher in lymphocytes from patients with cirrhosis (3100+/-1000% of basal) or with hepatitis (5200+/-2500% of basal) than in lymphocytes from controls (1200+/-500% of basal). cGMP in plasma was increased in patients with liver disease. Successful (but not unsuccessful) treatment with interferon of patients with hepatitis due to virus C reversed all the above alterations. Altered modulation of soluble guanylate cyclase by nitric oxide in liver disease may play a role in the hemodynamic alterations found in these patients.