Effects of pentoxifylline on the hepatic content of TGF-beta1 and collagen in Schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) on the content of hepatic TGF-beta1, type I and type III collagen in schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis and its mechanism of anti-fibrosis.


METHODS
Forty mice with schistosomiasis were divided into four groups: one group as control without any treatment, other three were treated with Praziquantel 500 mg/(kg x d)for 2 d, high dose PTX 360 mg/(kg x d) for 8 wk, and low dose PTX 180 mg/(kg x d) for 8 wk respectively. Immunohistochemical technique and multimedia color pathographic analysis system were applied to observe the content change of hepatic TGF-beta1, type I and type III collagen in schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis before and after PTX treatment.


RESULTS
Effects of PTX on the content change of hepatic TGF-beta1, type I and type III collagen in schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis were related to the dosage of PTX, high dose PTX treated group could significantly reduce the content of TGF-beta1 (0.709+/-0.111), type I (0.644+/-0.108) and type III (0.654+/-0.152) collagen compared with those of control group (0.883+/-0.140, 0.771+/-0.156, 0.822+/-0.129) with statistical significance (P<0.05). Low dose PTX could also reduce the hepatic content of TGF-beta1 (0.752+/-0.152), type I (0.733+/-0.117) and type III (0.788+/-0.147) collagen, but without statistical significance (P>0.05). Both high dose and low dose PTX groups have significant differences on the content of TGF-beta1, type I and type III collagen (P<0.05, P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
High dose of PTX treatment could reduce the content of hepatic TGF-beta1, type I and type III collagen significantly in schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis, and thus plays its role of antifibrosis.
Xiong
Li-Juan
LJ
Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China. kljxiong@public.wh.hb.cn
Zhu
Jian-Fang
JF
Luo
Duan-De
DD
Zen
Lin-Lan
LL
Cai
Shu-Qing
SQ
D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000494:pharmacology; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
D000871:Anthelmintics; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; C508961:Tgfb1 protein, mouse; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D011223:Praziquantel; D010431:Pentoxifylline