Bone marrow cells obtained from cirrhotic rats do not improve function or reduce fibrosis in a chronic liver disease model.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of bone marrow cells (BMCs) obtained from cirrhotic donors in a model of chronic liver disease.


METHODS
Chronic liver injury was induced in female Wistar rats by the association of an alcoholic diet with intraperitoneal injections of carbon tetrachloride. BMCs obtained from cirrhotic donors or placebo were injected through the portal vein. Blood analysis of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and albumin levels, ultrasound assessment including the measurement of the portal vein diameter (PVD) and liver echogenicity, histologic evaluation with hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining, and quantification of collagen deposition were performed.


RESULTS
ALT and albumin blood levels showed no significant differences between the experimental groups two months after injection. Additionally, no significant variation in PVD and liver echogenicity was found. Histological analysis also showed no significant variation in collagen deposition two months after placebo or BMC injection.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that, even though BMC therapy using cells from healthy donors has previously shown to be effective, this is not the case when BMCs are obtained from cirrhotic animals. This result has major clinical implications when considering the use of autologous BMCs from patients with chronic liver diseases.
Mannheimer
Elida Gripp
EG
Centro de Cirurgia Experimental e Programa de Pós-Graduação, Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Quintanilha
Luiz Fernando
LF
Carvalho
Adriana Bastos
AB
Paredes
Bruno Diaz
BD
Gonçalves de Carvalho
Felipe
F
Takyia
Cristina Maeda
CM
Resende
Célia Maria Coelho
CM
Ferreira da Motta Rezende
Guilherme
G
Campos de Carvalho
Antonio Carlos
AC
Schanaider
Alberto
A
dos Santos Goldenberg
Regina Coeli
RC
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride