Dietary Biotin Supplementation Modifies Hepatic Morphology without Changes in Liver Toxicity Markers
I suspect biotin has a protective role in the liver based on this study/paper. I would recommend reading the discussion section where they go over possible toxicity reactions (it was close to 1000mg per kg which is of course extremely high) and differently pathologies and morphologies biotin has solved/ameliorated. They hypothesise that the particular morphological changes seen in the study are due to improved liver function due to no changes in inflammatory/toxicity markers.
As I research more into the low A hypothesis it has gotten me interested in the liver and how supplements effect its function.
I’d like to open up the discussion on biotin again as I really like the effects it’s had on me lately. As I read and learn more about Biotin from the studies posted on this forum it looks like a worthwhile substance that doesn’t get the attention it should…
“Despite the fact that biotin supplementation had no effect on liver toxicity markers, histological analysis showed noticeable differences between groups. Light microscopy observations of livers from control mice showed a normal morphology with adjacent normal sized sinusoids radiating from the central veins toward the periphery of the liver lobules and a normal portal triad (Figure 3(a)). In the supplemented mice, we observed an altered portal triad. Morphological evaluation revealed moderate dilated sinusoids, moderate increased vascularity, and mild increased number of bile conducts “
“Changes were also observed in the hepatocyte nuclei. Compared to the mice fed a control diet, the biotin-supplemented group showed a 39% increase in the number of binucleated hepatocytes
In addition, the number of hepatocytes with nucleomegaly (nuclei > 12µm) was increased”
From the Discussion
——————————————
“also found an increased number of binucleated hepatocytes (about 39%) and hepatocytes with nucleomegaly (66%) in the biotin-supplemented mice compared with the controls. These results together with previous results in pancreatic islets [15] and ovaries [19] and the observations by other groups [12, 21–23] indicate that pharmacological concentrations of biotin modify tissue structure.”
“Binucleated hepatocytes and nucleomegaly are the result of polyploidy [32]. At present, the role of increased polyploidy in the liver is still under debate [33, 34]. Polyploid cells are generated in some types of cancer such as esophageal and colon cancers [32]; however, in the liver, most of the studies suggest that this mechanism renders the cells more resistant to injury and enhances the liver's functional capacity “
“Our findings show that, despite increased polyploidy, serum damage indicators, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant enzymes were not affected by biotin supplementation, suggesting that the hepatocyte nuclear changes produced by the vitamin might be related to the positive effects associated with liver polyploidy. “
“It is interesting to note that while in diabetic models the effect of biotin reverses altered tissue structure produced by the pathological diabetic state, in normal animals the changes are observed on the typical morphology. None of the previous works showed the liver histology changes shown in the present report.”
I suspect biotin has a protective role in the liver based on this study/paper. I would recommend reading the discussion section where they go over possible toxicity reactions (it was close to 1000mg per kg which is of course extremely high) and differently pathologies and morphologies biotin has solved/ameliorated. They hypothesise that the particular morphological changes seen in the study are due to improved liver function due to no changes in inflammatory/toxicity markers.
As I research more into the low A hypothesis it has gotten me interested in the liver and how supplements effect its function.
I’d like to open up the discussion on biotin again as I really like the effects it’s had on me lately. As I read and learn more about Biotin from the studies posted on this forum it looks like a worthwhile substance that doesn’t get the attention it should…
“Despite the fact that biotin supplementation had no effect on liver toxicity markers, histological analysis showed noticeable differences between groups. Light microscopy observations of livers from control mice showed a normal morphology with adjacent normal sized sinusoids radiating from the central veins toward the periphery of the liver lobules and a normal portal triad (Figure 3(a)). In the supplemented mice, we observed an altered portal triad. Morphological evaluation revealed moderate dilated sinusoids, moderate increased vascularity, and mild increased number of bile conducts “
“Changes were also observed in the hepatocyte nuclei. Compared to the mice fed a control diet, the biotin-supplemented group showed a 39% increase in the number of binucleated hepatocytes
In addition, the number of hepatocytes with nucleomegaly (nuclei > 12µm) was increased”
From the Discussion
——————————————
“also found an increased number of binucleated hepatocytes (about 39%) and hepatocytes with nucleomegaly (66%) in the biotin-supplemented mice compared with the controls. These results together with previous results in pancreatic islets [15] and ovaries [19] and the observations by other groups [12, 21–23] indicate that pharmacological concentrations of biotin modify tissue structure.”
“Binucleated hepatocytes and nucleomegaly are the result of polyploidy [32]. At present, the role of increased polyploidy in the liver is still under debate [33, 34]. Polyploid cells are generated in some types of cancer such as esophageal and colon cancers [32]; however, in the liver, most of the studies suggest that this mechanism renders the cells more resistant to injury and enhances the liver's functional capacity “
“Our findings show that, despite increased polyploidy, serum damage indicators, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant enzymes were not affected by biotin supplementation, suggesting that the hepatocyte nuclear changes produced by the vitamin might be related to the positive effects associated with liver polyploidy. “
“It is interesting to note that while in diabetic models the effect of biotin reverses altered tissue structure produced by the pathological diabetic state, in normal animals the changes are observed on the typical morphology. None of the previous works showed the liver histology changes shown in the present report.”
