Treatment of pig serum-induced rat liver fibrosis with Boschniakia rossica, oxymatrine and interferon-alpha.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of Boschniakia rossica (BR), oxymatrine (OM) and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) 1b on the therapy of rat liver fibrosis and its mechanism.


METHODS
By establishing a rat model of pig serum-induced liver fibrosis, liver/weight index and serum alanine transaminase (ALT) were observed to investigate the therapeutic effect of BR,OM and IFN-alpha. Radioimmunoassay was utilized to measure procollagen type III (PCIII) and collagen type IV (CIV). RT-PCR was used to assay the expression of liver transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA. Immunohistochemistry of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and pathologic changes of liver tissues were also under investigation.


RESULTS
Serum PCIII and CIV in BR, OM and IFN-alpha groups were significantly declined compared with those in model group, and their RT-PCR revealed that TGF-beta1 mRNA expression was also reduced more than that in model group. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that alpha-SMA also declined more than that in model group. Serum ALT in IFN-alpha, control and model groups was within normal level. Serum ALT in BR group had no significant difference from those of IFN-alpha, control and model groups. Serum ALT in OM group was significantly higher than those in BR, IFN-alpha, model, and control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
BR, OM and IFN-alpha can prevent pig serum-induced liver rat fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells and synthesizing collagen. OM has hepatotoxicity to rat liver fibrosis induced by pig serum.
Wu
Chun-Song
CS
Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Yanbian University, Yanji 133000, Jilin Province, China.
Piao
Xi-Xu
XX
Piao
Dong-Ming
DM
Jin
Yong-Ri
YR
Li
Cheng-Hao
CH
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D031670:Orobanchaceae; D011807:Quinolizines; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013552:Swine; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000093842:Matrines
D000470:Alkaloids; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011807:Quinolizines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C508962:Tgfb1 protein, rat; C037573:oxymatrine; D000093842:Matrines