EFFECT OF NITRIC OXIDE ON LIVER FIBROSIS OF MICE INFECTED WITH SCHISTOSOMA JAPONICUM / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of nitric oxide on the liver fibrosis of mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum during the early stage of schistosomiasis. Methods NMRI mice were treated with AMG-an iNOS inhibitor from day 23 post infection(p.i) to the sacrificed and the livers were collected at 38 days, 45 days p.i respectively. The expression and distribution of collagen typeⅠ, Ⅲ (ColⅠand ColⅢ) in liver tissues were investigated with the Picric acid-Sirius red staining techniques and differentiated with the polarization microscopy combining with picture analysis system. Hydroxyproline concentration in liver homogenate was measured by the biochemical methods. Results At 38 day p.i, the Picric acid-Sirius red staining showed that the hyperplasia of Col Ⅰ and ColⅢ in the livers of AMG treated mice increased significantly compared with the control livers, but there was no significant difference of hydroxyproline content between the two groups. At 45 days p.i, only the hyperplasia of Col Ⅰ in AMG treated group increased significantly compared with the control livers, and moreover, content of hydroxyproline of the inhibited mice was significantly higher than that of the control mice (P