Therapeutic effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in a rat model of carbon tetrachloride induced liver fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Liver fibrosis is a major medical problem with high mortality and morbidity rates where the formation of regenerative nodules and cirrhosis leads to loss of liver function and may result in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have drawn attention as a novel approach for treatment of liver fibrosis. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of BM-MSCs on the liver structure in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver fibrosis in male rats relative to resveratrol and Silybum marianum as standard drugs derived from herbal plants. METHODS: Fifty adult male albino rats (Sprague Dawley strain; 180-220 g mean body weight) were purchased from the Laboratory Animal Unit in the Nile Center of Experimental Research, Mansoura, Egypt. Liver function were determined, isolation and preparation of BM- MSCs and detection of cell-surface markers by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Animals exposed to CCl4 developed liver injury characterized by significant increase of liver enzymes, malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and CYP450, inhibition of antioxidant enzymes, and decreased albumin. Treatment with stem cells enhanced liver state more effectively than resveratrol and S. marianum. It significantly decreased AST, ALT, ALP, MDA, TNF-α, and CYP450 and increased albumin, SOD, GSH, GST, and CAT. Histopathological study and atomic force microscope results confirmed the therapeutic effects of MSCs. CONCLUSIONS: BM-MSCs could restore liver structure and function in CCL4 induced liver fibrosis rat model, ameliorating the toxicity of CCl4 and improving liver function tests.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in patients with psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis and its association with disease activity and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

OBJECTIVE: To assess vitamin D status in psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to study whether it was associated with disease activity, inflammatory markers, and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Riyadh National Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between March and September 2012. It included 43 patients with plaque psoriasis, 55 RA patients and 40 healthy controls matched for age. Blood samples were drawn from all participants for assessment of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], TNF-α, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and serum corrected calcium. Disease activity of psoriasis and RA were assessed using Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Disease Activity Score Index of a 28 joint count (DAS28). RESULTS: We found a significant difference between psoriatic patients, RA patients, and healthy controls in the mean 25(OH)D (11.74±3.60, 15.45±6.42, and 24.55±11.21 ng/ml; p=0.000). We found that 25(OH)D was not correlated with PASI, DAS28, TNF-α, CRP, or ESR in psoriatic and RA patients. CONCLUSION: Serum 25-(OH)D levels are significantly lower in psoriatic and RA patients than in healthy control subjects. Low 25-OHD levels also may provide the rationale for vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of psoriasis and RA. More definitive evidence is also required to demonstrate the clinical benefit of vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of psoriasis and RA.