Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Liver and aging

  • Review
  • Published:
Gastroenterologia Japonica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Conclusions

In conclusion, available data are not sufficient to conclude that ageper se compromises liver functions in general as long as subjects maintain their health. This does not mean, however, that livers in the elderly can always function as efficiently as those in the young. In many situations, where the physical condition of the subjects is impaired, the liver in the elderly will respond to these stresses more sensitively, its function may decline more drastically and the recovery of reduced function may also be slower. In other words, if clinicians find evidence of liver malfunction in the elderly with no obvious liver diseases, (e.g., lower albumin, increase in ICG test, etc.), they should suspect latent morbidity in the patient and be ready for the possible impairment for other liver functions such as drug metabolism and detoxification. In other words, the aging of the liver is not a disease, and the aging liver maintains its sound functions. However, aged liver can be a factor in the reduction of liver functions, if unfavorable conditions like morbidities accompany it. This can occur in any patient with malnutrition and/or infection and, therefore, aging can be regarded as a latent liver disease factor in countries or communities where malnutrition and infections are prevalent. In this sense, the aging liver must be regarded as a potentially diseased liver, with no specific nomenclature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Popper H: Aging and the liver. In: Popper H, Schaffner F, ed. progress in Liver Diseases, Vol. VIII. Orlando: Grune & Stratton. 1986;659–683.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Popper H: Relations between liver and aging. Semin Liver Dis 1985;5:221–227.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Popper H: Liver in aging. In: Warner HR, Butler RL, Sprott RL, et al, eds. Biologic Theories of Aging. New York: Raven Press. 1987;219–2344.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kitani K: Aging and the liver. In: Popper H, Schaffner F, eds. Progress in Liver Diseases, Vol. IX. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. 1990;603–623.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Platt D: Liver and Aging. Stuttgart: Schattauer Verlag. 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kitani K: Liver and Aging-1978. Amsterdam: Elsevier/North Holland. 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kitani K: Liver and Aging-1982. Amsterdam: Elsevier/North Holland. 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kitani K: Liver and Aging-1986. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers. 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bianchi L, Holt P, James OFW, et al: Aging in Liver and Gastrointestinal Tract. Lancaster: MTP Press. 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kitani K: Liver and Aging-1990. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers. 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kitani K: Does the liver age in man? Hepatol Rapid Rev 1986;16:V-XIX.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kitani K: Hepatic drug metabolism in the elderly. Hepatology 1986;6:316–319.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kitani K: Drugs and the ageing liver. Life Chem Rep 1988;6:143–230.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Carrillo MC, Kitani K, Kanai S, et al: Differences in the influence of diet on hepatic glutathione S-transferase activity and glutathione content between young and old C57 black female mice. Mech Ageing Dev 1989;47:1–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Carrillo MC, Nokubo M, Sato Y, et al: Effect of protein-free diet on activities and subunits of glutathione S-transferase in livers of young and aged female rats. Mech Ageing Dev 1990;56:237–251.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Galinsky RE, Kane RE: Effect of aging on drug metabolizing enzymes important in acetaminophen elimination. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1986;237:107–113.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Galinsky RE, Johnson DH, Kane RE, et al: Effect of aging on hepatic biotransformation in female Fischer 344 rats: changes in sulfotransferase activities are consistent with known gender-related changes in pituitary growth hormone secretion in aging animals. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1990;255:577–583.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Rikans LE, Moor DR: Effect of age and sex on allyl alcohol hepatotoxicity in rats: role of liver alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1987;243:20–26.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rikans LE, Kling OR: Effects of aging and testosterone administration on liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity in male Fischer 344 rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 1987; 11:562–566.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Scitz HK, Meydari M, Ferschbe I, et al: Effect of aging on in vivo and in vitro ethanol metabolism and its toxicity in F-344 rats. Gastroenterology 1989;97:446–456.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Rikans LE, Moore DR, Snowden CD: Sex-dependent differences in the effects of aging on antioxidant defense mechanisms of rat liver. Biochim Biophys Acta 1991;1074:195–200.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Semsei I, Rao G, Richardson A: Changes in the expression of Superoxide dismutase and catalase as a function of age and dietary restriction. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1989;164:620–625.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rao G, Xia E, Richardson A: Effect of age on the expression of antioxidant enzymes in male Fischer-344 rats. Mech Ageing Dev 1990;53:49–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Reed AH, Cannon DC, Winkelman JW, et al: Estimation of normal ranges from a controlled sample survey, I. Sex- and age-related influence on the SMA 12/60d screening group of tests. Clin Chem 1965;18:57–66.

    Google Scholar 

  25. James OFW, Woodhouse KW, Herd B, et al: The influence of frailty liver blood flow and size upon hepatic oxidation and conjugation in aged man. In: Kitani K, ed. Liver and Aging—1990. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. 1991;45–56.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Woodford-Williams E, Alvarez AS, Webster D, et al: Serum protein patterns in “normal” and pathological aging. Gerontologia 1964/655;10:86–99.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Thompson EN, Williams R: Effect of age on liver function with particular reference to bromshulphthalein excretion. Gut 1965;6:266–269.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Koff RS, Ganey AJ, Burney SW, et al: Absence of an age effect on sulfobromophthalein retention in healthy men. Gastroenterology 1973;65:300–302.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wynne HA, Cope LH, Mutch E, et al: The effect of age upon liver volume and apparent liver blood flow in healthy man. Hepatology 1989;9:297–301.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Sherlock S: Diseases of the Liver and Biliary System. Blackwell Scientific Publishers. 1981.

  31. James OFW. Parenchymal liver disease in the elderly. In: Bianchi L, Holt P, James OFW, Butler RN, eds. Aging in liver and gastrointestenal tract. Lancaster: MTP Press. 1988;359–369.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Fujita S, Kitagawa H, Chiba M, et al’ Age and sex associated differences in the relative abundance of multiple species of cytochrome P-450 in rat liver microsoms—A separation by HPLC of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 species. Biochem Pharmacol 1985;34:1861–1864.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Stier A, Finch SAE, Creinert T, et al: Membrane structure and function of the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 system. In: Kitani K, ed. Liver and Aging—1982, Liver and Drugs. Amsterdam: Elsevier/North Holland. 1982;105–110.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Malononey A, Schmucker DL, Vessey DS, et al: The effects of aging on the hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase system of male and female monkeys. Hepatology 1986;2:282–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Sutter MA, Gibson G, Williamson LS, et al: Comparison of the hepatic mixed function oxidase systems of young, adult and old non-human primates (Macaca nemestrina). Biochem Pharmacol 1985;34:2983–2987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Matsubara T, Yamada N, Mitomi T, et al: Cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase activities in prenatal and postnatal human lives: Comparison of human liver 7-alkoxycoumarin 0-dealkylases with rat liver enzymes. Jpn J Pharmacol: 1986;40:389–398.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Boobis AR, Davies DS: Human cytochromes P-450. Xenobiotica 1984;14:151–185.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Schmucker DL, Wang RK: Qualitative changes in rat liver micro-somal NADPH cytochrome c(P-450) reductase during aging. Age 1982;5:105–110.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Grinna LS, Barbar AA: Age-related changes in membrane lipid and enzyme activities. Biochim Biophys Acta 1972;288:347–353.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Lee DW, Yu BP: The age-related alterations in liver microsomal membbranes: The effects of lipid peroxidation and dietary restriction. In: Kitani K, ed. Liver and Aging-1990. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica. 1990;17–27.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Zs.-Nagy I: A review on the recent advances in the membrane hypothesis of aging. In: Kitani K, ed. Liver and Aging—1990. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica. 1990;321–335.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Kitani K: Evaluation of rodent models for the study of age-related modifications in toxic responses. In: Volans GN, Sims J, Sullivan FM, Turner P, eds. Basic Science in Toxicology. London: Taylor & Francis. 1990;422–431.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Ookhtens M, Lyon I, Kaplowitz N: Effect of age on the sinusoidal release of hepatic glutathione from the perfused rat liver. Biochem Pharmacol 1987;36:4015–4017.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Lauterburg BH, Vaishnav Y, Stillwell WG, et al: The effects of age and glutatione depletion on hepatic glutathione turnover in vivo determined by actaminophen probe analysis. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1980;213:54–58.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Beyer HS, Sherman R, Zieve L: Aging is associated with reduced liver regeneration and diminished thymidine kinease mRNA content and enzyme activity in the rat. J Lab Clin Med 1991;117:101–108.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Wynne HA, Cope LH, Herd B, et al: The association of age and frailty with paracetamol conjugation in man. Age and Ageing 1990;19:419–424.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Renton KW: Effect of infection and immune stimulation on theophylline metabolism. Semin Perinatal 1981;5:378–382.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Renton KW, Peterson TC: The influence of infection on the metabolism of foreign compounds. In: Caldwell J, Paulson ED, eds. Foreign Compounds Metabolism. London: Taylkor & Francis. 1984;289–294.

    Google Scholar 

  49. O’Malley Km Crooks J, Duke E, et al: Effect of age and sex on human drug metabolism. Br Med J 1971;3:607–609.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Vestal RE, Norris AH, Tobin JD, et al: Antipyrine metabolism in man: Influence of age alcohol, caffeine, and smoking. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1975;18:425–432.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Physiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi-ku, 173, Tokyo, Japan

    Kenichi Kitani M.D. (Director)

Authors
  1. Kenichi Kitani M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kitani, K. Liver and aging. Gastroenterol Jpn 27, 276–285 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02777737

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02777737

Keywords

Search

Navigation