[Experimental study on iNOS gene transfer mediated by liposome to treat portal hypertension in cirrhotic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of iNOS gene transfer on portal hypertensive rats.


METHODS
Eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA(3)/iNOS was used to transfect sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) mediated by Lipofectamine. Transfection rate and gene exspression were detected. Hepatic cirrhosis was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride, and the cirrhotic rats were divided into three groups:Liposome-pcDNA(3)/iNOS (n = 10), Tris buffer (n = 10) and nude plasmid (n = 10), which were injected into the portal vein of experiment cirrhotic rats respectively. Five days later, animals were killed, immunohistochemistry and spectrophotometry methods were used to measure the expression of iNOS and the amount of NO production.


RESULTS
Eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA(3)/iNOS could effectively transfect SEC and express corresponding gene products. Following iNOS gene transfer, compared with the two controlled groups, iNOS expression and the NO production were significantly increased meanwhile portal pressure was decreased significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
The iNOS gene transfer is a feasible and an effective approach to treat portal hypertension in cirrhotic rats which could increase the expression of intra-hepatic iNOS and the amount of NO production thus leading to a remarkable reduction of portal venous pressure.
Qiu
Jiang-feng
JF
Department of Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200127, China.
Wu
Zhi-yong
ZY
Zhang
Zhi-qi
ZQ
Luo
Hai-feng
HF
D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D017082:Portal Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat