Correlation between TIMP-1 expression and liver fibrosis in two rat liver fibrosis models.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate serum TIMP-1 level and the correlation between TIMP-1 expression and liver fibrosis in immune-induced and CCL4-induced liver fibrosis models in rats.


METHODS
Immune-induced and CCL4-induced liver fibrosis models were established by dexamethasone (0.01 mg) and CCL4 respectively. Serum TIMP-1 level was detected with ELISA, while histopathological grade of liver biopsy was evaluated. Spearman rank-correlation test was used to analyse the difference of the correlation between the TIMP-1 expression and hepatic fibrosis in the two fibrosis models. Furthermore, in situ hybridization was used to determine the expression difference of TIMP-1 mRNA in the two models.


RESULTS
Positive correlation existed between serum TIMP-1 level of immune induced group and the histopathological stages of fibrosis liver of corresponding rats (Spearman rank-correlation test, r(s) = 0.812, P < 0.05), and the positive in situ hybridization signal of TIMP-1 mRNA was strong. In CCL4-induced liver fibrosis model, the correlation between the serum TIMP-1 level and the severity of hepatic fibrosis was not statistically significant(Spearman rank-correlation test, r(s) = 0.229, P > 0.05). And compared with immune-induced model, the positive in situ hybridization signal of TIMP-1 mRNA was weaker, while the expression variation was higher in hepatic fibrosis of the same severity.


CONCLUSIONS
The correlations between TIMP-1 expression and liver fibrosis in two rat liver fibrosis models are different. In immune-induced model, serum TIMP-1 level could reflect the severity of liver fibrosis, while in CCL4-induced model, the correlation between the serum TIMP-1 level and the severity of hepatic fibrosis was not statistically significant.
Nie
Qing-He
QH
Chinese PLA Centre of Diagnosis and Treatment for Infectious Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China. nieqinghe@hotmail.com
Zhang
Ya-Fei
YF
Xie
Yu-Mei
YM
Luo
Xin-Dong
XD
Shao
Bin
B
Li
Jun
J
Zhou
Yong-Xing
YX
D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride