[Liver growth factor improves pulmonary fibrosis secondary to cadmium administration in rats].
BACKGROUND
Liver growth factor (LGF) is a liver mitogen with regenerating and anti-fibrotic activity even at extrahepatic sites. We used LGF in a lung fibrosis model induced by cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)), to study its antifibrotic capacity.


METHODS
Forty-two male Wistar rats were administered a single dose of 0.5ml/rat of CdCl2 0.025% (n=21) or the same volume of saline (control group, n=21). After 35 days, once a lesion was established, we started a 3 week treatment with LGF, after which we determined lung function--inspiratory capacity (IC), lung compliance (LC), forced vital capacity (FVC) and expiratory flow at 75% (FEF75%)-, lung morphometry--alveolar internal area (AIA), mean linear intersection (LM)-, and collagen (both by Sirius red and hydroxyproline residues) and elastin contents.


RESULTS
Pulmonary fibrosis in CdCl(2) rats was characterized by a marked decrease in pulmonary function with respect to healthy controls -reductions of 28% in IC, 38% in CL, 31% in FVC, and 54% in FEF75%- which was partially recovered after LGF injection -18% IC, 27% CL, 19% FVC and 35% FEF75%-; increase in collagen and elastin contents -165% and 76%, respectively, in CdCl2 rats, versus 110% and 34% after LGF injection-; and increases in AIA and LM, partially reverted by LGF.


CONCLUSIONS
Together, these data seem to demonstrate that LGF is able to improve lung function and partially reverts the increase in lung matrix proteins produced by CdCl(2) instillation.
Martínez-Galán
Lourdes
L
Laboratorio de Neumología Experimental, Fundación Jiménez Díaz-CAPIO, CIBERES, Madrid, Spain.
del Puerto-Nevado
Laura
L
Pérez-Rial
Sandra
S
Díaz-Gil
Juan José
JJ
González-Mangado
Nicolás
N
Peces-Barba
Germán
G
D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human
D006133:Growth Substances; D012709:Serum Albumin; C053498:albumin-bilirubin complex; D019256:Cadmium Chloride; D001663:Bilirubin; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human