[Expression of collagen XVIII mRNA in rat liver fibrosis].
OBJECTIVE
To measure and study quantitatively the collagen XVIII mRNA in normal and fibrotic rat livers.


METHODS
We used ribonuclease protection assay to investigate the collagen XVIII mRNA expression in rat liver fibrosis induced by complete bile duct occlusion (BDO). The expression level of procollagen 1 (XVIII) mRNA was compared with that of procollagen 1 (I) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1).


RESULTS
mRNA levels of procollagen and TIMP 1 increased 20- and 4-fold in BDO rat livers, respectively. In contrast, hepatic procollagen 1 mRNA level increased only 1.8-fold in fibrotic rat livers.


CONCLUSIONS
C XVIII mRNA is upregulated slightly in liver fibrosis, which is probably correlated with the fact that CXVIII is mainly expressed by hepatocytes.
Jia
J
J
Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China.
Bauer
M
M
Boigk
G
G
Ruehl
M
M
Schuppan
D
D
Wang
B
B
D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000235:genetics*; D043170:Collagen Type XVIII; D043169:Endostatins; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000235:genetics
D043170:Collagen Type XVIII; D043169:Endostatins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D003094:Collagen