%0 Journal Article
%T Early effect of a single intravenous injection of ethanol on hepatic sinusoidal endothelial fenestrae in rabbits
%A Frank Jacobs
%A Eddie Wisse
%A Bart De Geest
%J Comparative Hepatology
%D 2009
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1476-5926-8-4
%X After intravenous administration of a single dose of 0.75 g/kg, ethanol concentration peaked at 1.1 ¡À 0.10 g/l at ten minutes after injection. Compared to control rabbits (103 ¡À 1.1 nm; n = 8), the average diameter of fenestrae in ethanol-injected rabbits determined at 10 minutes after injection was significantly (p < 0.01) smaller (96 ¡À 2.2 nm; n = 5). Detailed analysis of distribution histograms of the diameters of fenestrae showed that the effect of ethanol was highly homogeneous.A decrease of the diameter of fenestrae 10 minutes after ethanol administration is likely the earliest morphological alteration induced by ethanol in the liver and underscores the potential role of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in alcoholic liver injury.It has been postulated that ethanol primarily targets hepatic sinusoidal and perisinusoidal cells [1]. In experimental models and in human studies, plasma hyaluronic acid levels are elevated in alcoholic liver injury, which may reflect a diminished hepatic clearance by liver sinusoidal endothelial cells [2-4]. Chronic ethanol exposure leads to defenestration in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells which is paralleled by the deposition of a basal lamina [5]. Subsequently, capillarization of hepatic sinusoids further impairs microcirculatory exchange of nutrients and the clearance of waste products, enhances tissue fibrosis, and will affect the hepatic parenchyma and its metabolism. Whereas this sequence of events has been corroborated by several studies, it is not well established to which extent a single administration of ethanol affects liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. Previous studies have shown that ethanol slightly (6%) increases the diameter of fenestrae in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in vitro [6,7]. In contrast, scanning electron microscopy studies in vivo showed significant decreases of the diameter of sinusoidal endothelial fenestrae [8], suggesting that the transport of plasma substances from sinusoids to parenchymal
%U http://www.comparative-hepatology.com/content/8/1/4