THE EFFECT OF ANTITHROMBIN-III ON THE NITRIC OXIDE LEVELS IN EXPERIMENTAL OBSTRUCTIVE JAUNDICE

Abstract

There is a very high incidence of morbidity and mortality in patients with obstructive jaundice. The absence of bile in the gastrointestinal tract stimulates bacterial overgrowth and bacterial translocation. The increased concentrations of bacteria and endotoxin in the portal blood leads to systemic endotoxemia. In response to endotoxin or in LPS-induced endotoxemia TNF-alpha, NO and other mediators were released from endothelial and Kupffer cells. We investigated the effect of Antithrombin-III that is a physiological inhibitor of thrombin and other proteases of the clotting cascade. AT-III prevents vascular injury by inhibiting leukocyte activotion in LPS-induced endotoxemia. Forty male Wistar-Albino rats weighing 200-250 gr. were divided into four groups. Controls (not operated on, n=10); Control+AT-III (AT-III was given 250 IU/kg for 5 days, n=10); Bile duet ligation alone (for 5 days, n=10); Bile duet ligation+AT-III (5 days after bile duet ligation AT-III was given 250 IU/kg for 5 days, n=10). At the end of tenth day, rats were sacrified under Ketamine anesthesia and the serum samples were obtained from whole bloods. Nitricoxide levels were measured by Nitricoxide colorometric Assay (Boehringer Mannheim, Cat. No. 1756281. Mannheim, Germany). NO level was found 33.99(mol/L in Group A, 32.26 (mol/L in Group B, 46.33 (mol/L in Group C, 34.71 (mol/L in Group D. As a conclusion, in our experimental study the increased level of NO in rats with induced obstructive jaundice is thought to be related to endotoxemia and a decrease in the level of NO was detected following AT-III application.