Dynamic expressions and it's significance of small heterodimer partner in rat models of liver fibrosis / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the expressions of small heterodimer partner (SHP) in rat model of hepatic fibrosis and its role in fibrosis.Methods A total of 30 healthy male SD rats were divided into two groups 6 rats in control group and 24 rats in model group.The model group was further divided into four subgroups which were sacrificed at different time points,2,4,6 and 8 weeks after intraperitoneal injection of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN).After establishment of the rat model,blood samples and liver tissue specimens were collected at week 2,4,6 and 8 respectively.The sections of liver tissue were stained with HE and Masson and then were observed under optical microscope.The expressions of SHP mRNA and protein were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot,respectively.The comparison of means among the groups was performed by univariate ANOVA.Results The hepatic fibrosis was most obvious at 4 weeks and 6 weeks after the intraperitoneal injection.In model groups,alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartateaminotransferase (AST) levels gradually increased and reached a peak at week 4,which were (169.2±16.2) and (193.3±31.1) U/L,respectively.Meanwhile,albumin level in the model group decreased gradually,reaching the nadir at week 6,and the differences were statistically significant at all selected time points between the model group and control group (FAST =83.10,FALT =104.63,FAlb =54.24; all P＜0.05).After modeling,the expression of SHP mRNA and protein in model group were significantly increased than those in control group,and reached a peak at week 4 (0.4494±0.0555 and 1.1155 ±0.1546,respectively),then both mRNA and protein levels decreased gradually at week 6 and 8 which obviously lower than the control group.Transforming growth factor (TGF)β1 mRNA expression level also increased gradually,reaching a peak at week 4 (0.9625±0.1196),and the differences between model subgroups and control group were statistically significant (F=25.740,171.383,118.393 and 94.343; all P＜0.05).Linear correlation analysis showed that SHP mRNA was positively correlated with TGFβ1 mRNA (r=0.593,P＜0.01).Conclusion During the progression of hepatic fibrosis,the SHP expression increases at the beginning and then turns to decrease,which suggests that SHP may play an important role in the development of hepatic fibrosis.