Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

A Mouse Model of Chronic Liver Fibrosis for the Study of Biliary Atresia
09:12

A Mouse Model of Chronic Liver Fibrosis for the Study of Biliary Atresia

Published on: February 3, 2023

Elevated bile acids in newborns with Biliary Atresia (BA)

Kejun Zhou1, Na Lin, Yongtao Xiao

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Plos One
|November 21, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Biliary Atresia (BA) infants show elevated taurocholate (TC) levels in newborn blood spots. This finding suggests TC could be a valuable biomarker for early BA screening in newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Hepatology
  • Biochemical Diagnostics
  • Infant Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Biliary Atresia (BA) is a severe infantile liver disease caused by bile duct inflammation.
  • Early diagnosis and intervention, like the Kasai operation, significantly improve patient outcomes.
  • Developing effective early screening methods for BA is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of primary bile acids as biomarkers for early Biliary Atresia detection.
  • To evaluate taurocholate (TC) levels in newborns for discriminating BA from other conditions.

Main Methods:

  • High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used.
  • Primary bile acid content was measured in dried blood spots from BA infants, neonatal jaundice infants, and comparison infants.
  • Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess diagnostic accuracy.

Main Results:

  • Taurocholate (TC) levels were significantly higher in BA infants compared to both neonatal jaundice and comparison infants (p<0.05).
  • ROC analysis indicated TC has good discriminatory power for BA (AUC=0.82).
  • Total bile acid concentrations were also significantly elevated in BA infants compared to controls (p=0.0162).

Conclusions:

  • Elevated bile acids, particularly TC, in the immediate newborn period suggest BA presentation.
  • Taurocholate shows promise as a potential biomarker for newborn screening of Biliary Atresia.
  • Further validation is needed to establish TC as a reliable screening marker.

More Related Videos

A Silver Nanoparticle Method for Ameliorating Biliary Atresia Syndrome in Mice07:48

A Silver Nanoparticle Method for Ameliorating Biliary Atresia Syndrome in Mice

Published on: October 13, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Jaundice01:25

Jaundice

Jaundice, or icterus, is the yellow discoloration of the skin, sclerae, and mucous membranes. It happens when plasma bilirubin levels rise above 2.5-3 mg/dL, leading to bilirubin deposition in tissue.Bilirubin is a byproduct of hemoglobin degradation. In macrophages, hemoglobin breaks down into globin and heme. Globin is converted into amino acids, while heme is turned into biliverdin by heme oxygenase, which is then reduced to unconjugated bilirubin by biliverdin reductase.Unconjugated...
Inborn Errors of Metabolism01:20

Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a protein metabolism disorder characterized by high blood levels of the amino acid phenylalanine. This results from a mutation in the gene responsible for phenylalanine hydroxylase, an enzyme that converts phenylalanine into tyrosine. When this enzyme is deficient, phenylalanine builds up in the blood, leading to symptoms such as vomiting, rashes, seizures, growth deficiency, and severe mental retardation. An early diagnosis and a diet restricting phenylalanine intake...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder01:26

Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder

Liver and gallbladder diseases are a significant health concern, with prominent conditions including cirrhosis, hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and gallstones. Jaundice is a common manifestation of liver and biliary disease.
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not related to...
Bile01:19

Bile

Bile is a crucial bodily fluid, characterized by its yellow-green color and alkaline nature. Produced in the liver, it is transported through the common hepatic duct into either the cystic duct, leading to the gallbladder, or directly into the common bile duct. The flow of bile is regulated by the sphincter of Oddi located at the entrance of the duodenum. When this sphincter is closed, bile is redirected to the gallbladder for storage and concentration.
Bile is released when dietary fats enter...
Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones: Baeyer&ndash;Villiger Oxidation01:22

Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones: Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation

Baeyer–Villiger oxidation converts aldehydes to carboxylic acids and ketones to esters. The reaction uses peroxy acids or peracids and is often catalyzed by acid. The reaction is named after its pioneers, Adolf von Baeyer and Victor Villiger. The reaction is achieved by a wide range of peracids such as m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA), perbenzoic acid (C6H5COOOH), peracetic acid (CH3COOOH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH).
The carbonyl center is activated by...