Expression and distribution of NF-κB in experimental hepatic fibrosis / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the expression, distribution and significance of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in experimental hepatic fibrosis.METHODS: Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, hepatic fibrisis model group and the pyrrolidine-1-dithiocarboxylic acid ammonium sail (PDTC) group. The PDTC group was treated with subcutaneous injection of carboan tetrachloride, and treated with PDTC by oral administration. The content of hydroxyproline was measured. Endotoxin was determined with a Limulus amebocyte lysate test kit. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in plasma was measured by laishi method. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tissue was detected by means of TBA method. The expression of NF-κB was determined by immunohistochemistry. The expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was measured by Western blotting.RESULTS: In control group, just a small amount of NF-κB p65 was expressed in the cytoplasm of a few hepatocytes around central veins. In model group, the positive staining of NF-κB p65 was expressed in cytoplasm and nucleus, mainly in fibrous stepta, hepatic sinusoid and partial vascular endothelial cells, part of proliferating ductular epithelial cells and impaired hepatocytes. The positive staining began to increase from the first week. The expression of NF-κB in the liver tissues in PDTC group was lower than that in model control group (P<0.05). The ET levels and expression of NF-κB and CTGF began to increase significantly in liver fibrosis group. The levels of plasma ET and expression of NF-κB and CTGF were correlated positively with each other. In PDTC group, ET content in plasma increased significantly at first, then began to decline at the end of the test. The expression of NF-κB and CTGF in liver tissues in PDTC groups was lower than that in model group. Furthermore, the expression of NF-κB in liver tissues in PDTC group was correlated positively with CTGF. The levels of plasma ET were not correlated with the expression of NF-κB and CTGF.CONCLUSION: ET may up-regulate the expression of CTGF by activating NF-κB.