Uses of gamma-glutamyltransferase in experimental toxicology

Cystic fibrosis screening, evaluation, and management of hepatobiliary disease consensus recommendations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) may cause a spectrum of hepatobiliary complications, including portal hypertension, multilobular cirrhosis, and liver failure. Current guidelines on the detection and monitoring of hepatobiliary complications in CF were published in 1999. The CF Foundation assembled a committee to evaluate research advances and formulate revised guidelines for CF-associated liver disease. A committee of hepatologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, pharmacists, nurses, dietitians, individuals with CF, and the parents of a child with CF devised "population, intervention, comparison, and outcome" questions regarding hepatobiliary disease in CF. PubMed literature searches were performed for each population, intervention, comparison, and outcome question. Recommendations were voted on with 80% agreement required to approve a recommendation. Public comment on initial recommendations was solicited prior to the formulation of final recommendations. Thirty-one population, intervention, comparison, and outcome questions were assembled, 6401 manuscripts were title screened for relevance, with 1053 manuscripts undergoing detailed full-text review. Seven recommendations were approved for screening, 13 for monitoring of existing disease, and 14 for treatment of CF-associated hepatobiliary involvement or advanced liver disease. One recommendation on liver biopsy did not meet the 80% threshold. One recommendation on screening ultrasound was revised and re-voted on. Through a multidisciplinary committee and public engagement, we have assembled updated recommendations and guidance on screening, monitoring, and treatment of CF-associated hepatobiliary involvement and advanced liver disease. While research gaps remain, we anticipate that these recommendations will lead to improvements in CF outcomes through earlier detection and increased evidence-based approaches to monitoring and treatment.

Hematobiochemical evaluation of dermal subacute cypermethrin toxicity in buffalo calves

Dermal exposure of cypermethrin, a type II synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, at dose rate of 0.25% for 14 consecutive days produced mild signs of toxicity in buffalo calves. It produced significant elevation in the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT; 39.5%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 32.0%), blood urea nitrogen (BUN; 57.7%), and plasma creatinine (30.0%). Cypermethrin also produced significant decrease in the hemoglobin (Hb) concentration (5.4%), packed cell volume (PCV; 3.4%), and total erythrocytic count (4.0%). Additionally, there was a significant increase in erythrocytic sedimentation rate (ESR; 3.1%). On the basis of the present study, it can be concluded that cypermethrin induces significant biochemical and hematological alterations in buffalo calves when exposed dermally.

Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity and biochemical characterization of rat visceral yolk-sac during gestation with or without trypan blue exposure

Yolk-sacs from untreated Sprague-Dawley rat conceptuses were removed on gestational days (GD) 9 to 18 and examined for gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) activities. All enzyme activities were found to increase through gestation in total activity as well as in specific activity. Protein (PRO) and urea nitrogen (UN) were also found to increase through gestation whereas triglyceride (TRI) increased steadily from GD 9 to 13 and then appeared to plateau through GD 19. Additional rats were treated on GD 8 with 75 mg trypan blue (TB)/kg body weight and yolk-sacs taken on GD 9 to 18. Yolk-sac GGT and GOT activities from TB-treated rats were significantly higher than the respective controls during early gestation but recovered to or were lower than control levels during midgestation. GGT activity in treated rats was significantly higher than the controls on GD 15 and 16, and both GGT and GOT were significantly lower than controls on GD 17 and 18. AP activity in the TB-treated yolk-sacs was significantly lower than that in controls during early and midgestation but was not significantly different from the control values late in gestation. Triglyceride concentration was not affected early in gestation but significantly decreased on GD 16 and 18. Thus, the yolk-sac enzymes monitored, which are associated with nutrition and normal growth, increased in activity through GD 18. The yolk-sac toxicant, trypan blue, significantly affected enzymatic activity at various time periods during gestation and resulted in significant changes in yolk-sac protein and triglyceride content.