Effect of hepatic iron concentration reduction on hepatic fibrosis and damage in rats with cholestatic liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of iron reduction after phlebotomy in rats with "normal" hepatic iron concentration (HIC) on the progression of hepatic fibrosis, as a result of bile duct ligation (BDL).


METHODS
Rats underwent phlebotomy before or after sham operation or BDL. Animals undergone only BDL or sham operation served as controls. Two weeks after surgery, indices of hepatic damage and fibrosis were evaluated.


RESULTS
Phlebotomy lowered HIC. Phlebotomy after BDL was associated with body weight increase, lower hepatic weight, less portal hypertension, less periportal necrosis, less portal inflammation, lower hepatic activity index score and higher albumin levels. On the other hand, phlebotomy before BDL was associated with body weight decrease and hepatic activity index score increase. Phlebotomy after sham operation was not associated with any hepatic or systemic adverse effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduction of HIC after induction of liver damage may have beneficial effects in BDL rats. However, iron deficiency could induce impairment of liver function and may make the liver more susceptible to insults like BDL.
Department of Internal Medicine, Hebrew University--Hadassah Medical Center, Mount Scopus Campus, PO Box 24035, Jerusalem 91240, Israel.
Gil
G
Peretz
Gabriela
G
Link
Orit
O
Pappo
Rafael
R
Bruck
Zvi
Z
Ackerman
D000818:Animals; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000150:complications*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D018962:Phlebotomy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D007501:Iron; D009195:Peroxidase; D015232:Dinoprostone