Biomaterial Database

A beneficial role of bile pigments as an endogenous tissue protector: anti-complement effects of biliverdin and conjugated bilirubin. 1993

T Nakagami, and K Toyomura, and T Kinoshita, and S Morisawa

Laboratory for Bio-Resource Sciences, Nippon Meat Packers, Inc., Ibaraki, Japan.

Bile pigments possess an anti-complement property and could be involved in tissue protection. In this study, we examined the physiological actions of bile pigments, which had been generally regarded as waste catabolites. Biliverdin inhibited complement cascade reactions in vitro, especially at the C1 step in the classical pathway at low micromolar concentrations. Further, Forssman anaphylaxis in guinea pigs, being closely associated with complement reactions, was inhibited by oral or intravenous administration of biliverdin. Conjugated bilirubin also showed an inhibitory effect on complement-dependent reactions in vitro. From these observations, we propose a hypothesis that the pigments serve as endogenous tissue protectors by multiple lines of mechanisms including antioxidant and anti-complement actions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007249	Inflammation	A pathological process characterized by injury or destruction of tissues caused by a variety of cytologic and chemical reactions. It is usually manifested by typical signs of pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.	Innate Inflammatory Response,Inflammations,Inflammatory Response, Innate,Innate Inflammatory Responses
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D006168	Guinea Pigs	A common name used for the genus Cavia. The most common species is Cavia porcellus which is the domesticated guinea pig used for pets and biomedical research.	Cavia,Cavia porcellus,Guinea Pig,Pig, Guinea,Pigs, Guinea
D000707	Anaphylaxis	An acute hypersensitivity reaction due to exposure to a previously encountered ANTIGEN. The reaction may include rapidly progressing URTICARIA, respiratory distress, vascular collapse, systemic SHOCK, and death.	Anaphylactic Reaction,Anaphylactoid Reaction,Anaphylactoid Shock,Shock, Anaphylactic,Anaphylactic Reactions,Anaphylactic Shock,Anaphylactoid Reactions,Reaction, Anaphylactic,Reaction, Anaphylactoid,Shock, Anaphylactoid
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001654	Bile Pigments	Linear TETRAPYRROLES that give a characteristic color to BILE including: BILIRUBIN; BILIVERDIN; and bilicyanin.	Bile Pigment,Bilin,Pigment, Bile,Pigments, Bile
D001664	Biliverdine	1,3,6,7-Tetramethyl-4,5-dicarboxyethyl-2,8-divinylbilenone. Biosynthesized from hemoglobin as a precursor of bilirubin. Occurs in the bile of AMPHIBIANS and of birds, but not in normal human bile or serum.	Dehydrobilirubin,Ooecyan,Uteroverdine,Biliverdin,Biliverdin IX,Biliverdin IX alpha,IX alpha, Biliverdin,IX, Biliverdin,alpha, Biliverdin IX