Effects of transmitters and interleukin-10 on rat hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl4.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of transmitters ET, AgII, PGI(2), CGRP and GG on experimental rat hepatic fibrosis and the antifibrogenic effects of IL-10.


METHODS
One hundred SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (N): intraperitoneal injection with saline 2 ml.kg(-1) twice a week; the fibrogenesis group (C): intraperitoneal injection with 50 % CCl(4) 2 ml.kg(-1) twice a week; IL-10 treated group (E): besides same dosage of CCl(4) given, intraperitoneal injection with IL-10 4 ug.kg(-1) from the third week. In the fifth, the seventh and the ninth week, rats in three groups were selected randomly to collect plasma and liver tissues. The levels of ET, AgII, PGI(2), CGRP and GG were assayed by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The liver fibrosis was observed with silver staining.


RESULTS
The hepatic fibrosis was developed with the increase of the injection frequency of CCl(4). The ET, AgII, PGI(2), CGRP and GG levels in serum of group N were 71.84+/-60.2 ng.L(-1), 76.21+/-33.3 ng/L, 313.03+/-101.71 ng/L, 61.97+/-21.4 ng/L and 33.62+/-14.37 ng/L, respectively; the levels of them in serum of group C were 523.30+/-129.3 ng/L, 127.24+/-50.0 ng/L, 648.91+/-357.29 ng/L, 127.15+/-62.0 ng/L and 85.26+/-51.83 ng/L, respectively; the levels of them in serum of group E were 452.52+/-99.5 ng/L, 90.60+/-44.7 ng/L, 475.57+/-179.70 ng/L, 102.2+/-29.7 ng/L and 38.05+/-19.94 ng/L, respectively. The histological examination showed that the degrees of the rats liver fibrosis in group E were lower than those in group C.


CONCLUSIONS
The transmitters ET, AgII, PGI(2), CGRP and GG play a significant role in the rat hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl(4). IL-10 has the antagonistic action on these transmitters and can relieve the degree of the liver fibrosis.
Wang
Xiao-Zhong
XZ
Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China. drwangxz@public6.fz.fj.cn
Zhang
Li-Juan
LJ
Li
Dan
D
Huang
Yue-Hong
YH
Chen
Zhi-Xin
ZX
Li
Bin
B
D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000097:blood*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D016232:Endothelins; D010455:Peptides; D000804:Angiotensin II; D016753:Interleukin-10; D005934:Glucagon; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D011464:Epoprostenol; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide