title: Gamma-interferon treatment inhibits collagen deposition in murine schistosomiasis.
abstract: Since interferons have been shown to affect the synthesis of matrix proteins such as collagen in several in vitro systems, the potential role of gamma-interferon in inhibiting hepatic fibrosis was investigated. Hepatic cells, consisting primarily of hepatocytes, were treated with recombinant gamma-interferon for 24 hr. Northern blot hybridization showed that gamma-interferon treatment caused a profound decrease in pro-alpha 2(I)collagen mRNA levels but an increase in beta-actin mRNA content. The effects of gamma-interferon were then studied in an in vivo model of hepatic fibrogenesis, murine schistosomiasis. Schistosoma-infected mice were treated with daily i.m. injections of gamma-interferon for a 4-week period starting 4 weeks after the initial infection. gamma-Interferon treatment decreased collagen deposition as determined by histologic evaluation and measurement of total liver collagen content. Northern blots showed Types I and III procollagen mRNA levels for treated, infected animals to be only 32 and 29% that of infected controls, but beta-actin mRNA levels were significantly elevated. These results indicate a potential role for gamma-interferon as an antifibrogenic agent in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Czaja
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Giambrone
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: van der Meide
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schellekens
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biempica
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zern
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011347:Procollagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D011347:Procollagen; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003094:Collagen