Therapeutic effects of recombinant expression plasmid containing hepatocyte growth factor and augmenter of liver regeneration on rats with hepatic fibrosis / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effects of recombinant expression plasmid containing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) on rats with hepatic fibrosis. Methods Ninety Sprague-Dawley rats, which had been established into hepatic fibrosis models, were equally divided into 6 groups blank group, pcDNA3.1 therapy group,pcDNA3.1-HGF therapy group, pcDNA3. 1-ALR therapy group, pcDNA3.1-HGF and pcDNA3. 1-ALR combined therapy group, and pcDNA3. 1-HGF-ALR therapy group. Zero point one μmol of blank or plasmid was injected into model rats in each group by tail vein once a day for 3 days. Model rats in blank group didn't receive any treatment. Additional 10 rats were chosen as control group, which were not given any interference during the experiment. All rats were sacrificed 4 days after end of treatment. Liver tissues were reserved for observing pathologic changes after HE staining and detecting proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and c-jun by immunohistochemistry. Measurement data were compared by single-factor analysis of variance. Comparison between groups was done by SNK test. Enumeration data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test. Results In blank group and pcDNA3.1 therapy group, hyperplasia of fibrous connective tissue was very obvious, false lobules were formed. There was no significant difference between these two groups (x2 =0. 317,P= 1. 000).In the 4 remaining groups, hepatic fibrosis all achieved different degree of amelioration, and the therapeutic effect of pcDNA3.1-HGF-ALR was optimal. In control group, the expressions of PCNA and c-jun in liver tissues were low, with absorbance value of 8.6±1.9 and 3.2 ± 1.2, respectively. In blank group and pcDNA3. 1 therapy group, the expressions of PCNA and c-jun were obviously increased, with absorbance value of 24. 1±3.0, 24.5±4.3 and 23.8±3.1, 24.9±4.2, respectively,which were significant different from control group (all P＜0.01). In the 4 remaining groups, the expressions of PCNA were all obviously increased, and expressions of c-jun were all obviously decreased. The maximum change scope was observed in pcDNA3. 1-HGF-ALR therapy group.Conclusions The recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3. 1-HGF-ALR can effectively ameliorate experimental hepatic fibrosis of rats. The anti-fibrosis effects are achieved probably by up-regulating PCNA expression and down-regulating c-jun expression.