Getting to know you

Photo by Ray MarklinLarry J. Shapiro, M.D., and Diana Gray, M.D., talk with Shamika Ketkar and Shashikant Kulkarni, Ph.D., at the New Faculty Reception Oct. 4 at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

NSAID increases liver damage in mice carrying mutant human gene

The large globules in the liver cells on the left are characteristic of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. The image on the right shows normal liver cells.Research performed at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis sheds light on the mechanisms that contribute to liver disease in alpha-1-AT deficiency patients. People with alpha-1-deficiency have a genetic mutation that can lead to emphysema at an early age and to liver damage. Using an experimental mouse model of the disorder, the researchers investigated the effects of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) on liver injury.
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