title: [Effects of antihistamine treatment on immune function in rats with experimental hepatitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of antihistamine treatment on immune function in rats with experimental hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty Wistar rats were randomly allocated into three groups:experimental hepatitis group (EH group), antihistamine treatment group (AH group) and normal control group (NC group). Rats in the EH group received the subcutaneous injection of 40% carbon tetrachloride oil solution and were fed on diet with low-protein, low-choline, high-fat and high-alcohol,while rats in the AH group received antihistamine treatment(ketotifen + vitamin C) additionally.They were sacrificed after 4 weeks, and the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT), total bilirubin (TBil), histamine(HA), IFNgamma, IL-12, IL-4 and IL-10 were determined. The levels of IL-12 mRNA and IFN-gamma mRNA in liver tissue were determined via real-time reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Compared to the NC group, in the EH group, the levels of ALT, TBil, and circulating and intrahepatic HA were significantly increased(P less than 0.05); intrahepatic HA were significantly decreased(P less than 0.05) after antihistamine treatment. (2) Compared to the NC group, in the EH group, the levels of IL-4, IL-10 were significantly increased((0.504+/-0.202)ng/ml and (29.025+/-1.478) pg/ml vs (0.811+/-0.244)ng/ml and (33.72+/-4.293)pg/ml respectively, P less than 0.05), and the levels of IL-12 were decreased ((6.515+/-2.893)pg/ml vs (3.519+/-1.113)pg/ml, P less than 0.05); and after antihistamine treatment the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly decreased (were (0.423+/-0.168)ng/ml and (30.412+/-3.275)pg/ml, P less than 0.05), the levels of IL-12 were significantly increased (P less than 0.05), but the level of IFNgamma had no significance (P more than 0.05). The levels of intrahepatic IL-12 mRNA and IFNgamma mRNA had similar results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antihistamine treatment may improve liver function and correct Th1/Th2 unbalance.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: Long-feng
authors: LF
authors: Zhao
authors: Yan-qin
authors: YQ
authors: Hao
authors: De-wu
authors: DW
authors: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007665:Ketotifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D007665:Ketotifen