Estrogen suppression offers no protection to murine steatohepatitis models.

2004 SEP 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Estrogen suppression offers no protection to murine steatohepatitis models.

According to recent research published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, "alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are common liver diseases in the United States. ASH and NASH occur more frequently in women than in men, and liver injury is also more severe in women. The role of estrogens in ASH has been well established, but their role in NASH has received relatively little study."

"The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of estrogens in methionine-choline deficient diet (MCDD)-induced steatohepatitis in mice. The degree of steatohepatitis was evaluated in males and in intact and ovariectomized females that were fed MCDD for 4 weeks, and in females that were fed MCDD containing tamoxifen," said P.R.V. Kashireddy and colleagues, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine.

"Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of livers showed marked steatohepatitis in all experimental groups. Compared to the control group, markers of hepatocyte injury such as aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and liver triglyceride levels increased significantly in males and in intact and ovariectomized female mice that were fed MCDD."

"Also, it was interesting that ...