Dina Sabry

Citation:

Idriss, N. K., H. G. Sayyed, A. Osama, and D. Sabry, "Treatment Efficiency of Different Routes of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Injection in Rat Liver Fibrosis Model.", Cellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology, vol. 48, issue 5, pp. 2161-2171, 2018 Aug 16.

Abstract:

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The most appropriate route for bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) transplantation in the management of liver fibrosis remains controversial. This study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of intravenous and intrasplenic BM-MSC transplantation on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced rat liver fibrosis.

METHODS: Fifty rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 10 rats per group): healthy control group, CCl4 group, CCl4/ recovery group, CCl4/BM-MSC intravenous group, and CCl4/BM-MSC intrasplenic group. BM-MSCs were isolated, labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP), and injected into fibrotic rats either intravenously or intrasplenically. Gene expression of interleukins (IL-1β and IL-6), interferon (INF)-γ, hepatic growth factor, and the hepatocyte-specific marker cytokeratin 18 was estimated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Vascular endothelial growth factor and connective tissue growth factor was detected by western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. At 2 weeks after intravenous and intrasplenic BM-MSC injections, GFP-positive cells were detected in liver tissue.

RESULTS: Both routes achieved a similar enhancement of liver function, which was confirmed by histopathological examination. The intravenous route was more effective than the intrasplenic route in reducing gene expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and INF-γ. However, fibrotic changes were still observed in the recovery group.

CONCLUSION: Intravenous BM-MSC injection was an efficient and appropriate route for BM-MSC transplantation for the management of liver fibrosis.