The hepatoprotective effect of aspirin on carbon tetrachloride­induced hepatic fibrosis via inhibition of TGFß­1 pathway and pro­inflammatory cytokines IL­1ß and COX­2 in rats.

Aspirin decreases liver fibrosis index and inflammation levels. However, the exact mechanism underlying the effects of aspirin are yet to be elucidated. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential protective effects of aspirin on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis in Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were divided into four groups, including healthy and CCl4 control and low-(aspirin 10 mg/kg + CCl4) and high-dose aspirin group (aspirin 300 mg/kg + CCl4). After 8 weeks treatment, the histopathological examinations of hepatocyte fibrosis in liver and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), IL-1ß, transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN) and type IV collagen (IV.C) were determined. Histopathological examination suggested that aspirin decreased CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis and liver inflammation. The high-dose aspirin group significantly decreased the serum levels of ALT, AST, HA and LN compared with the CCl4 control group. High-dose aspirin group significantly decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß compared with CCl4 group. The high-dose aspirin group significantly inhibited the expression of TGFß-1 protein compared with CCl4 group. Overall, the present study indicated that aspirin exhibited potent protective effects against CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis via inhibition of the TGFß-1 pathway and pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß.

Human brucellosis and fever of unknown origin.

BACKGROUND: Human brucellosis has become one of the major public health problems in China, and increases atypical manifestations, such as fever of unknown origin (FUO), and misdiagnosis rates has complicated the diagnosis of brucellosis. To date, no relevant study on the relationship between brucellosis and FUO has been conducted. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 35 patients with confirmed human brucellosis and prospectively recorded their outcomes by telephone interview. The patients were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between January 01, 2013 and October 31, 2019. Patient data were collected from hospital medical records. RESULTS: The percentage of males was significantly higher than that of female in FUO (78.95% vs. 21.05%, P < 0.05), and 80% of the patients had a clear history of exposure to cattle and sheep. Moreover, 19 (54%) cases were hospitalized with FUO, among which the patients with epidemiological histories were significantly more than those without (P < 0.05). The incidence of toxic hepatitis in FUO patients was higher than that in non-FUO patients (89% vs. 50%, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the misdiagnosis rate was considerably higher in the FUO group than in the non-FUO group (100% vs. 63%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Brucellosis is predominantly FUO admission in a non-endemic area of China, accompanied by irregular fever and toxic hepatitis. Careful examination of the epidemiological history and timely improvement of blood and bone marrow cultures can facilitate early diagnosis and prevent misdiagnosis.