Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1970 Dec;49(12):2198–2204. doi: 10.1172/JCI106438

Augmentation of albumin but not fibrinogen synthesis by corticosteroids in patients with hepatocellular disease

G D Cain 1, G Mayer 1, E A Jones 1
PMCID: PMC322720  PMID: 5480846

Abstract

Simultaneous studies of albumin and fibrinogen metabolism have been conducted using the carbonate-14C method before and after a 13 day course of prednisolone in eight patients with hepatocellular disease. Initially six patients were hypoalbuminemic. The mean plasma albumin and fibrinogen concentrations and albumin and fibrinogen synthetic rates were all lower than the corresponding values in a group of control subjects. Prednisolone therapy was associated with significant increases in the plasma concentration and synthetic rate of albumin but changes in the intravascular albumin pools were not significant. It is inferred that a low synthetic rate of albumin in a patient with liver disease does not necessarily represent the maximum capacity of the diseased liver to synthesize this protein. Changes in the plasma concentration, intravascular pool, and synthetic rate of fibrinogen were small and inconsistent. The data are compatible with a selective action of corticosteroids on hepatic protein metabolism and with the existence of different mechanisms for the control of albumin and fibrinogen synthesis.

Full text

PDF
2198

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. COHEN S., FREEMAN T., McFARLANE A. S. Metabolism of I-131-labelled human albumin. Clin Sci. 1961 Apr;20:161–170. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. De Groote J., Desmet V. J., Gedigk P., Korb G., Popper H., Poulsen H., Scheuer P. J., Schmid M., Thaler H., Uehlinger E. A classification of chronic hepatitis. Lancet. 1968 Sep 14;2(7568):626–628. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)90710-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dykes P. W. The rates of distribution and catabolism of albumin in normal subjects and in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Clin Sci. 1968 Feb;34(1):161–183. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. FREEMAN T., GORDON A. H. METABOLISM OF ALBUMIN AND GAMMA-GLOBULIN IN PROTEIN DEFICIENT RATS. Clin Sci. 1964 Feb;26:17–26. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GOODLAD G. A., MUNRO H. N. Diet and the action of cortisone on protein metabolism. Biochem J. 1959 Oct;73:343–348. doi: 10.1042/bj0730343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. GROSSMAN J., YALOW A. A., WESTON R. E. Albumin degradation and synthesis as influenced by hydrocortisone, corticotropin and infection. Metabolism. 1960 Jun;9:528–550. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hasch E., Jarnum S., Tygstrup N. Albumin synthesis rate as a measure of liver function in patient with cirrhosis. Acta Med Scand. 1967 Jul;182(1):83–92. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1967.tb11502.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. John D. W., Miller L. L. Regulation of net biosynthesis of serum albumin and acute phase plasma proteins. Induction of enhanced net synthesis of fibrinogen, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, alpha2 (acute phase)-globulin, and haptoglobin by amino acids and hormones during perfusion of the isolated normal rat liver. J Biol Chem. 1969 Nov 25;244(22):6134–6142. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jones E. A., Craigie A., Tavill A. S., Simon W., Rosenoer V. M. Urea kinetics and the direct measurement of the synthetic rate of albumin utilizing [14C]carbonate. Clin Sci. 1968 Dec;35(3):553–564. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KIDSON C., KIRBY K. S. SELECTIVE ALTERATIONS OF MAMMALIAN MESSENGER-RNA SYNTHESIS: EVIDENCE FOR DIFFERENTIAL ACTION OF HORMONES ON GENE TRANSCRIPTION. Nature. 1964 Aug 8;203:599–603. doi: 10.1038/203599a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lieberman F. L., Reynolds T. B. Plasma volume in cirrhosis of the liver: its relation of portal hypertension, ascites, and renal failure. J Clin Invest. 1967 Aug;46(8):1297–1308. doi: 10.1172/JCI105622. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. MCFARLANE A. S., IRONS L., KOJ A., REGOECZI E. THE MEASUREMENT OF SYNTHESIS RATES OF ALBUMIN AND FIBRINOGEN IN RABBITS. Biochem J. 1965 May;95:536–540. doi: 10.1042/bj0950536. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MCFARLANE A. S. MEASUREMENT OF SYNTHESIS RATES OF LIVER-PRODUCED PLASMA PROTEINS. Biochem J. 1963 Nov;89:277–290. doi: 10.1042/bj0890277. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MCFARLANE A. S., TODD D., CROMWELL S. FIBRINOGEN CATABOLISM IN HUMANS. Clin Sci. 1964 Jun;26:415–420. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. ROTHSCHILD M. A., ORATZ M., WIMER E., SCHREIBER S. S. Studies on albumin synthesis: the effects of dextran and cortisone on albumin metabolism in rabbits studied with albumin-I-131. J Clin Invest. 1961 Mar;40:545–554. doi: 10.1172/JCI104282. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. ROTHSCHILD M. A., SCHREIBER S. S., ORATZ M., McGEE H. L. The effects of adrenocortical hormones on albumin metabolism studied with albumin-I 131. J Clin Invest. 1958 Sep;37(9):1229–1235. doi: 10.1172/JCI103711. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Rothschild M. A., Oratz M., Zimmon D., Schreiber S. S., Weiner I., Van Caneghem A. Albumin synthesis in cirrhotic subjects with ascites studied with carbonate-14C. J Clin Invest. 1969 Feb;48(2):344–350. doi: 10.1172/JCI105990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. SILBER R. H., PORTER C. C. Nitrogen balance, liver protein repletion and body composition of cortisone treated rats. Endocrinology. 1953 May;52(5):518–525. doi: 10.1210/endo-52-5-518. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Sterling K. THE EFFECT OF CUSHING'S SYNDROME UPON SERUM ALBUMIN METABOLISM. J Clin Invest. 1960 Dec;39(12):1900–1908. doi: 10.1172/JCI104214. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Tavill A. S., Craigie A., Rosenoer W. M. The measurement of the synthetic rate of albumin in man. Clin Sci. 1968 Feb;34(1):1–28. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. WEBER G., BANERJEE G., BRONSTEIN S. B. Selective induction and suppression of liver enzyme synthesis. Am J Physiol. 1962 Jan;202:137–144. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1962.202.1.137. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. WEBSTER D. A SIMPLE METHOD OF SERUM PROTEIN FRACTIONATION ON CELLULOSE ACETATE AND A COMPARISON OF THE ALBUMIN LEVELS WITH A METHOD OF SODIUM SULPHITE FRACTIONATION. Clin Chim Acta. 1965 Feb;11:101–112. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(65)90202-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. WILKINSON P., MENDENHALL C. L. SERUM ALBUMIN TURNOVER IN NORMAL SUBJECTS AND PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS MEASURED BY 131I-LABELLED HUMAN ALBUMIN. Clin Sci. 1963 Oct;25:281–292. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES