[Expression and location of heme oxygenase in the lung of experimental cirrhotic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the function of heme oxygenase (HO) in the lung damage in hepatic cirrhosis rats.


METHODS
Liver cirrhosis model rats were made by CCl4. Lung samples taken from normal and cirrhotic rats were examined for HO-1 and HO-2 protein and expression distribution with immunohistochemical staining and western blot.


RESULTS
Liver cirrhosis model rats were successfully constructed. There was a notable increase of HO-1 staining (0.062+/-0.021 vs 0.185+/-0.044, t=11.24, P<0.01) and protein expression (0 vs 5294.92+/-46.02, t=11.45, P<0.01) in both vascular and bronchial smooth muscle cells and endothelium in cirrhotic rats, however, no statistical difference of HO-2 between cirrhotic and normal rats was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The HO-CO pathway is probably involved in the pathogenesis of lung damage in hepatic cirrhosis rats.
Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Xiao-li
XL
Zhou
De-an
DA
Tian
D000818:Animals; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology*; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; C105245:heme oxygenase-2