[The effects of sympathetic neurotransmitters and adrenergic receptors on liver fibrosis in murine schistosomiasis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of sympathetic neurotransmitters and adrenergic receptors on liver fibrosis in murine schistosomiasis.


METHODS
Mice were infestated with schistosoma by means of pasting cercariae on their abdomens. Thirty mice were randomly divided into a control group and a model group. Hematoxylin eosin and Van Gieson staining were used to view the histopathology of their livers. Immunofluorescence histochemistry and laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy were used to measure the a1A and beta2 adrenergic receptors in livers of the two groups of mice. High performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD) was used to determine the concentration of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) in the plasma of the mice.


RESULTS
Immunofluorescence histochemistry showed that a1A and beta2 receptors were present in hepatocytes and hepatic sinusoids of the livers of the mice of the two groups, but there were many more in the livers of the schistosoma infected mice (t=-2.888; t=-6.648) (P<0.05). The results of HPLC-ECD showed that the levels of NE and DA in the model group were higher than those of the control group (t=-3.372; t=-4.428) (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Sympathetic neurotransmitters and adrenergic receptors may participate in liver fibrogenesis in mice infected with schistosoma.
Department of Digestive Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Rui-xian
RX
Duan
Wang-xian
WX
Tang
Cui-huan
CH
Wu
Hong-yan
HY
Liu
Xiao
X
Gao
Yan
Y
Guo
Yong-wei
YW
Cheng
Yu-zhen
YZ
Yang
D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000097:blood*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000097:blood*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000378:metabolism*
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine