The effect of endothelial progenitor cell transplantation on liver cirrhosis in rats / 中华普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effect of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) transplantation on CCl4 induced hepatic cirrhosis in rats. Methods Eight male SD rats were used as normal control. Thirty rats were induced liver cirrhosis by feeding with 25% CCl4/olive oil for 12 weeks, and then were subdivided into cirrhosis group (n = 10), EPCs transplanted group (n = 10) and saline control group (n = 10). EPCs were transplanted into the portal vein for 4 weeks in EPCs transplanted group. Rats in EPCs nontransplanted group were sacrificed at the beginning of the 12th week. Rats in EPCs transplanted group and saline control group were killed at the beginning of 16th week. Serum biochemical parameters were examined. The degree of liver cirrhosis was evaluated by Masson staining and by detecting the expression of α-SMA, Collagen Ⅲ and Ki67. Results The volumes of liver in cirrhosis group were twice as much as that in normal rats. 12 weeks after CCl4 administration, compared with saline control group, in EPCs transplanted group, hepatic activity index (HAI) ( F = 75. 062, P < 0. 01 ), the levels of ALT( F = 29. 942, P<0.05), AST(F=16.618,P<0.05) and TBIL(F=9.911 ,P<0.05) in serum decreased, the level of Alb ( F = 4. 944, P < 0. 05 ) and Ki67 ( F = 45. 966, P < 0. 01 ) was increased, the expression of α-SM A ( F = 7.86,P<0.05) and collagen Ⅲ (F = 135.787,P <0.01) decreased (P <0.05). Compared with untransplanted group, in EPCs transplanted group, the levels of ALT, AST and TBIL in serum were lower; In saline control group, the levels of ALT, AST and TBIL in serum were higher, the level of Alb and Ki67was lower, the expression of α-SMA and collagen Ⅲ were higher( P < 0. 05 ). Compared with normal rats, in saline control group, the levels of INR were higher (P < 0. 05 ). Conclusion EPCs transplantation improves hepatocye regeneration and ameliorates established hepatic cirrhosis.