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Bilirubin Metabolism 1
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Written by Dr Sebastian Zeki
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Bilirubin Metabolism 1
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Written by Dr Sebastian Zeki
Bilirubin uptake reduced in:
Some Gilbert syndrome pts and certain drugs, eg,
rifampin, flavaspidic acid, and cholecystographic dyes.
In cirrhotics, some bilirubin produced in the spleen
bypasses the liver via portosystemic collaterals.
Also the normally fenestrated sinusoidal endothelium
may lose the fenestrae (capillarization), so get the
plasma-hepatocytes boundary. with inc unconjugated
[bilirubin].
Utilization
Succinyl CoA
Glycine
Protoporphyrin
Fe
Haem
Haem proteins
Haem oxygenase
Destabilisation
Synthesis
Fe
CO
Biliverdin
Biliverdin
reductase
Bilirubin IX-alpha
Bilirubin Metabolism
Albumin
Bilirubin-glutathione
S-transferases (GSTs) bound
Facilitated
Diffusion
Bilirubin
IX alpha
Uptake Into
Hepatocytes
Bilirubin IX
alpha
Albumin
Bilirubin IX
alpha-Albumin
complex
Irreversible albumin binding
Albumin binding of bilirubin is usually reversible.
Irreversible binding (=delta-bilirubin)) occurs with
prolonged conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, eg,
during biliary obstruction.
Delta-bilirubin isn’t cleared by liver/ kidney and has
the long half-life of albumin; therefore get
prolonged hyperbilirubinemia after biliary obstruc
-
tion relief.
Delta-bilirubin gives absent urine bilirubin excre
-
tiondespite direct hyperbilirubinemia. Confirm by
high performance liquid chromatography of serum.
Bilirubin displacement
Sulfonamides, warfarin, antiinfla
-
matory drugs, and cholecysto
-
graphic contrast media also bind
albumin at same site as bilirubin so
can precipitate bilirubin encepha
-
lopathy in the newborn with the
same total bilirubin conc
Bilirubin is bound to albumin or
HDL’s to make it soluble
Only small amount in free
state.Dissociates from albumin at
the hepatocyte surface
Causes of increased bilirubin
production:
Extravascular
haemolysis.
Extravasation of blood into tissues.
Intravascular
haemolysis.
Dyserythropoesis.
Alternative pathways of bilirubin elimination:
-Oxidation of bilirubin by mixed function oxidases in
liver and other organs.
-If inc conjugated plasma bilirubin concentrations (eg,
intrahepatic or extrahepatic cholestasis), the kidney
clears 70%-bile remains the main excretion route for
unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia.
Uptake and storage of bilirubin by hepatocytes
In liver sinusoids, the albumin-bilirubin complex dissoci
-
ate; bilirubin is taken up by hepatocytes (facilitated
difusion)-albumin stays circulating.
Within the hepatocyte, bilirubin + other organic anions
bind to glutathione.
S-transferases (GSTs)- reduce efflux of internalized
bilirubin.
Albumin binding of bilirubin in plasma —
Plasma bilirubin content increases after albumin infusion
because of transfer of the pigment from tissue stores to the
intravascular space.
Heme oxygenase
It is present in high concentration in the spleen and liver
Kupffer cells.
It is induced in haemolytic states).
It
opens haem porphyrin ring (catalyzes the
oxidation
of the
alpha-carbon bridge).
It results in green biliverdin which is then reduced by biliverdin
reductase to orange-yellow bilirubin IX-alpha.
Iron is released and oxidized alpha-bridge carbon is eliminated
as carbon monoxide (CO)-CO production has been used to
quantify bilirubin production.
Heme oxygenase is the rate-limiting in bilirubin production.
Heme present in hemoglobin,
myoglobin, cytochromes,
catalase, peroxidase and
tryptophan pyrrolase.
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