Abstract

The pruritus of cholestasis is a difficult clinical problem to manage. Its etiology is unknown and current management is unsatisfactory. This form of pruritus can be so severe that it is an indication for liver transplantation. In the past few years, clinical and experimental data have suggested that increased neurotransmission via the endogenous opioid system contributes to the pathophysiology of cholestasis including the pruritus associated with it. We have shown that the behavior that results from pruritus, scratching activity, is associated with a circadian rhythm, which is also a characteristic of endogenous opioid receptors and ligands and of the perception of pain, a function mediated by endogenous opioids. Circadian rhythms are regulated via the pineal gland from external cues, including light, and it has been shown that pain perception can be abolished by turning off biochemical functions of the pineal gland with light. By analogy, manipulations of the pineal gland by light therapy may result in amelioration of pruritus. In this pilot study we will evaluate the effect of bright light phototherapy (BLPT) on the pruritus of cholestasis.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
General Clinical Research Centers Program (M01)
Project #
5M01RR000102-35
Application #
6277116
Study Section
Project Start
1997-12-01
Project End
1999-11-30
Budget Start
1997-10-01
Budget End
1998-09-30
Support Year
35
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Rockefeller University
Department
Type
DUNS #
071037113
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10065

  Publications

Bagdade, John D; Jilma, Bernd; Hudgins, Lisa C et al. (2018) LpA-II:B:C:D:E: a new immunochemically-defined acute phase lipoprotein in humans. Lipids Health Dis 17:127
Butelman, Eduardo Roque; Bacciardi, Silvia; Maremmani, Angelo Giovanni Icro et al. (2017) Can a rapid measure of self-exposure to drugs of abuse provide dimensional information on depression comorbidity? Am J Addict 26:632-639
Ansar, Muhammad; Raza, Syed Irfan; Lee, Kwanghyuk et al. (2015) A homozygous missense variant in type I keratin KRT25 causes autosomal recessive woolly hair. J Med Genet 52:676-80
Rosenbaum, Michael; Leibel, Rudolph L (2014) 20 years of leptin: role of leptin in energy homeostasis in humans. J Endocrinol 223:T83-96
Ohmatsu, Hanako; Humme, Daniel; Gulati, Nicholas et al. (2014) IL32 is progressively expressed in mycosis fungoides independent of helper T-cell 2 and helper T-cell 9 polarization. Cancer Immunol Res 2:890-900
Alemán, José O; Eusebi, Leonardo H; Ricciardiello, Luigi et al. (2014) Mechanisms of obesity-induced gastrointestinal neoplasia. Gastroenterology 146:357-373
Barbuto, Scott; Idoyaga, Juliana; Vila-Perelló, Miquel et al. (2013) Induction of innate and adaptive immunity by delivery of poly dA:dT to dendritic cells. Nat Chem Biol 9:250-6
Guo, Xiuyang; Dhodapkar, Kavita M (2012) Central and overlapping role of Cathepsin B and inflammasome adaptor ASC in antigen presenting function of human dendritic cells. Hum Immunol 73:871-8
Dustin, Lynn B; Charles, Edgar D (2012) Primary, post-primary and non-specific immunoglobulin M responses in HCV infection. Antivir Ther 17:1449-52
Pendyala, Swaroop; Walker, Jeanne M; Holt, Peter R (2012) A high-fat diet is associated with endotoxemia that originates from the gut. Gastroenterology 142:1100-1101.e2

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