The suppressive effects of interferon-alpha on experimental hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl_4 in rats / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the mechanism of inter fe ron-? (IFN?) in preventing hepatic fibrosis in rat experimental model . Methods Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were divide d into three groups randomly: group A(normal controls)of 12 rats were given norm al food and water and received subcutaneous injection of peanut oil twice weekly ; group B (fibrotic model)and group C (IFN? prevention) with 12 rats in eac h were induced by carbon terrachloride, high cholesterol and low protein. Group C were treated with intramusclular injections of IFN? in saline, administered daily at the doses of 1?10 5U. At the end of the sixth week, all the rats in each group were killed, the liver function was examined and the samples of t he liver obtained by biopsy were submitted to histological liver fibrosis studie s. The expressions of ?-smooth muscle actin in hepatic tissues were detect ed with immunohistochemical methods. The effect of IFN? on apoptosis of hep atic stellate cells (HSC) were investigated under electron microscope. Results The level of hepatic collagen Ⅰand Ⅲ and serum PC Ⅲ, HA, and LN in group C was significantly lower than that of group B under lig ht microscope (P