Korean J Gastroenterol.
1999 Oct;34(4):503-509.
Vesicular Cholesterol in Bile with Cholesterol Gallstones
Abstract
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BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was performed to characterize the mode of cholesterol transport in human gallbladder bile with cholesterol gallstone.
METHODS
Subjects were 29 patients with cholesterol gallstone, and controls were 18 patients without gallstone who received surgery for gastric cancer. CsCl density gradient ultracentrifugation was used to separate vesicles and micelles. Each fraction was analysed by transmission electron microscopy and enzymatic determination.
RESULTS
Ultracentrifugation separated the gallbladder bile into the vesicular fraction (a low buoyant density of >1.05 g/mL) and micelles (a buoyant density of >1.15 g/mL). In the electron microscopy, the vesicles consisted of macromolecular aggregate, which were spherical in shape and were measured 1000 A in diameter. In comparison with the controls, the vesicular cholesterol concentration was significantly high in patients with gallstone and the ratio of micelle/vesicular cholesterol concentration was significantly low in patients with gallstone.
CONCLUSIONS
This study shows the importance of vesicular cholesterol in the patients with cholesterol gallstone, and supports that the formation of cholesterol gallstone is directly related to the concentration of cholesterol transported in vesicle.
