TITLE:
Gut Lymphangiopathy: Adding Fuel to the Fire in Chronic Liver Disease
AUTHORS:
Luis Tresierra, Maria-Angeles Aller, Isabel Prieto, Luis Santamaria, Jaime Arias
KEYWORDS:
Chronic Liver Disease, Lymphangiogenesis, Microsurgery, Collateral LymphaticCirculation
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology,
Vol.10 No.10,
October
15,
2019
ABSTRACT: The splanchnic inflammation inchronic liver disease
increases intestinal angiogenesis. In the current study our aim was demonstrating that the small bowel
lymphangiogenesis is associated with angiogenesis in chronic cholestasis in the
rat. A stereological study of the lymphatic microcirculation in the small
intestine was performed in cholestatic rats. Portal enteropathy in cholestasis increases lymphatic
microvessels in the mucosa and submucosa layers. Thus, the lymphatic
microvessel volume fraction was superior (p -2; p -2; p -2). These
alterations predominate in the duodenum (volume fraction: 0.10 ± 0.01 and length
density: 33.55 ± 5.98 mm-2) and ileum (volume fraction: 0.16 ± 0.01
and length density: 38.62 ± 6.07 mm-2). This study demonstrates the
predominance of an increased lymphangiogenic response in both end sides of the
small bowel associated with chronic liver disease. Since the porto-systemic
venous collateral circulation in the chronic liver insufficiency is developed
in the ends of the gastrointestinal tract, the excessive duodeno-ileal
lymphangiogenesis could suggest the development of amesenteric-systemic
lymphatic bypass in the chronic portal hypertension.