title: [Effect of interferon-α on rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl(4)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the curative effect and the underlying mechanism of interferon-α (IFN-α) on rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl(4).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five Wistar male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a normal control group (n=15), a liver fibrosis group (n=15) and a IFN-α treatment group (n=15). The rats of the control group and the liver fibrosis group received peanut oil (0.2 mL/100 g body weight), twice a week for 8 weeks. The rats of the liver fibrosis group and the IFN-α treatment group were received intraperitoneal injection of 50% CCl(4) (CCl(4):peanut oil=1:1, 0.2 mL/100 g body weight, ip) or IFN-α (CCl(4):peanut oil=1:1, 0.2 mL/100 g body weight, ip), twice a week for 8 weeks. In the 9th week, the rats of IFN-α treatment group were switch to receive IFN-α at 100 000 units (s.c.) per day for 3 weeks. The rats were all sacrificed in the 11th week. Pathological changes of liver, semi-quantitative scoring of rat liver was observed. Tissue hydroxyproline, the mRNA expression of Collagen I, Collagen III, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) of rat liver was detected. The protein expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 also was detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Semi-quantitative scoring of inflammation,semi-quantitative scoring of liver fibrosis, hydroxyproline and collagen in the IFN-α treatment group were significantly lower than those in the liver fibrosis group (all P<0.05). The mRNA expression of TGF-β1, CTGF, α-SMA and TIMP-1, and the protein expression of TIMP-1 in the IFN-α treatment group were significantly lower than those in the liver fibrosis group (all P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in MMP-9 between the IFN-α treatment group and the liver fibrosis group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN-α can decrease the liver fibrogenesis induced by CCl(4) in rats and reduce liver inflammation response. The anti-fibrosis effect of IFN-α may be related to decrease in TGF-β1, CTGF and TIMP-1 expression and to inhibiting of the hepatic satellite cells' activation and extracellular matrix synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Huixiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C526316:CCN2 protein, rat; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride