Category 8: Nutrition, metabolism, alcoholic liver disease, pharmacology 259 Results: NAFLD was present in 22 (78%) from 28 patients with morbid obesity (15 males, age: 38.7 + 11 yrs, weight 124 + 11 kg, BMI 42.6 4- 6.7 [mean + SD]). 13 (46%) had steatohepatitis [9 with significant fibrosis] while 9 (32%) had simple steatosis and 6 (21%) patients had a normal liver histology. 12 (54.5%) of 22 patients with NAFLD had a positive stain for alpha-smooth muscle actin. A weak correlation was found between HSC activation and BMI and insulinemia while no correlation was seen with the degree liver inflammation or fibrosis. Conclusions: This study confirms the high prevalence of NAFLD in mor- bid obesity and demonstrates that hepatic stellate cell activation occurs in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. ~'7 EFFECT OF DIFFERENT STEROID HORMONES ON PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION OF SINUSOIDAL ENDOTHELIAL RAT LIVER CELLS Miguel R. Reyes I , Heriberto Rodfiguez-Hernandez 1 , Guadalupe Carrillo-Ortega 1 , Manuela Carrera-Gracia 2. /Food & Nutrition Research Center; 2Department of Pharmacology, Durango, Mexico The liver is target for steroid hormones and receptors for this kind of hor- mones have been depicted in some of the different cell types of this organ. Likewise, there exist aspects of sexual dimorphism in liver diseases such as cirrhosis. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of natural and synthetic steroid hormones on morphology, migration and proliferation of cultured sinusoidal endothelial rat liver cells in a model of wounded mono- layers. To confluent monolayers of a sinusoidal cell line developed in our lab (CD31 positive) linear wounds (2.5 mm wide) were done by scrap- ing; afterwards, cells were incubated with 10 nM of the natural hormones beta-estradiol, progesterone or testosterone, as well as with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone and with the synthetic antiprogesterone RU- 486. After 48 hours incubation with the steroid cell morphology, migration and proliferation were analyzed by fluorescence microscopy of live fluo- rescein diacetate-stained ceils and by phase contrast microscopy of fixed Coomassie blue-stained cells. Compared to controls, beta-estradiol pro- moted migration and proliferation, progesterone and RU-486 moderately reduced migration and proliferation, testosterone strongly reduced migra- tion and proliferation and dexamethasone drastically reduced migration, proliferation and affected morphology. The liver sinusoidal endothelial lin- ing is a potential intervention point in issues such as organ preservation, drug delivery, liver fibrosis, etc., therefore further studies with regrd to phe- notypical manipulation of this cell type with steroids are warranted. (MRR is suported by the fellowship 'Don Alfonso Espeleta Torrijos) ~"~ PROTECTION BY GINKGO BILOBA EXTRACT AGAINST UV-INDUCED APOPTOSIS ON SINUSOIDAL ENDOTHELIAL RAT LIVER CELLS Jorge Burciaga-Nava 2, Heriberto Rodfiguez-Hernandez 1 , Guadalupe Cardllo-Ortega 1 , Manuela de la Ascencion Carrera-Gracia 3, Miguel Reyes 1 . 1Food & Nutrition Research Center, Faculty of Medicine UJED, Durango; 2Dept. of Biochemistry, Faculty of MedicineUJED, Durango; 3Dept. of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine UJED, Durango, Mexico Ginkgo biloba extracts are constituted in near 25% by flavonoid glycosides, mainly quercetln and kaempferol; they have great antioxidant and free- radical scavenging properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether Ginkgo biloba extracts are capable of prevent or modify UV-induced apop- tosis of cultured sinusoidal endothelial rat liver cells. Confluent monolay- ers of an endothelial cell line derived from hepatic sinusoid (CD31 posi- tive) were incubated by 24 hours in serum-free medium containing Ginkgo biloba extract equivalent to 0.5 mg/ml of dry extract; afterwards, cells were irradiated with 200 mJ of UV-C light (delayed apoptosis inducer) with a Stratagene UV cross linker. Fifteen hours later monolayer morphology and apoptosis were evaluated by light and fluorescence microscopy respec- tively. Our results showed that when compared with UV-irradiated controls, monolayers incubated with Ginkgo biloba morphologically looked almost similar to non UV-irradiated controls; fluorescence microscopy of propid- ium iodide staining also showed that non-viable apoptotic cells in Ginkgo biloba-protected cells were scarce whereas in UV-irradiated controls ceils were almost completely killed. Since UV-induced damage is free-radical mediated, these results suggest that Ginkgo biloba could be one more in the list of herbal hepatoprotectants such as milk thistle (silymarin) which by their antioxidant properties are useful in some liver diseases. (MR is recipient of the fellowship 'Don Alfonso Espeleta Torrijos). ~-~ NONALCOHOLICSTEATOHEPATITISIS STRONGLY RELATED TO INSULIN RESISTANCE IN OBESES SUBJECTS WITH DYSLIPIDEMIA Heriberto Rodriguez-Hernandez l, Jose Luis Gonzlaez 2, Martha Rodriguez-Moran l , Fernando Guerrero-Romero 1 . 1Medical Research Unit, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Durango, Dgo.; 2pathology Department, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Durango, Dgo., Mexico Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is frequently associated with insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Aim: To determine the histologic features and the relationship between NASH and IR in obese. Material and Methods: We included 65 patients, 15 with DM, 25 with and 25 without IR. Obesity, body mass index (BMI) greater than 27 kg/m 2, was inclusion criterion. Fasting glucose, liver function tests and lipid pro- file were performed. IR was estimated by HOMA index, (fasting serum insulin (uU/ml x fasting plasma glucose mmol/1/22.5). Liver biopsy was performed in 29 patients who shoewd dyslipidemia, 6 (40%) with DM, 13 (52%) with IR and 10 (40%) without IR. The liver specimen was stained with hematoxilin-eosin and Masson trichrome. Data are presented as mean + - SD. The results were analyzed by Chi square test and one-way ANOVA. The correlationship between HOMA and NASH was established by Sperman's test. Results: There were not significant differences by age between the groups. The BMI was 31.5 -4- 5.4, 32 4- 4.3 and 32.1 4- 2.8 kg/m 2, F = 1.1 for the subjects with DM, IR and without IR respectively. Diagnosis of NASH was established by hepatic biopsy. The main histologic features were steato- sis (89.6%), parenchymal infflamation (82.7%), ballooning hepatocyte (75.9%), fibrosis (58.6%) and necrosis (44.8%). The degree of steatosis correlates with HOMA index (r = -0.417, p = 0.02). Conclusions- NASH is highly frequent and inversely correlated with HOMA index in obese subjects with dyslipidemia. IR was the main metabolic disturbance related to NASH. ~ 5 " ~ NONALCOHOLICSTEATOHEPATITISIS STRONGLY RELATED TO INSULIN RESISTANCE IN OBESE SUBJECTS Heriberti Roddguez-Hernandez 1 , Janett S. Jacobo-Karam 2, Jose Luis Gonzalez 3, Martha Rodriguez-Moran 1 , Fernando Guerrero-Romero 1 . 1Medical Research Unit, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Durango, Dgo.; 2Gastroenterology Department, National Health Institute, Durango, Dgo.; 3PathologyDepartment, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Durango, Dgo., Mexico Non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is frequently associated with insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) Aim- To determine the histologic features and the relationship bet NASH and insluin resistance in obese subjects. Material and Methods: We included 65 patients, 15 with DM, 25 with and 25 without IR. Obesity, body mass index (BMI) greater than 27 kg/m 2, was inclusion criterion. Laboratory test, fasting glucose, liver function test, lipid profile were performed. IR was estimated by HOMA index, (fasting serum insulin (uU/ml) x fasting plasma glucose (mmol/1/22.5). Liver biopsy was