The Roles And Influencing Factors Of Interleukin-7 In Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Hepatic Fibrosis In Mice

Objective To observe the effect of interleukin- 7 on liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride(CC14) in mice, and the influencing factors.Methods 36 female balb/c mice were equally and randomly assigned into three groups: Group A(normal saline control group); Group B(fibrosis model group);Group C(IL- 7 intervention group). According to different experimental time, each group randomly divided into two subgroups: groups A1, A2, B1, B2, andC1, C2(1for 2 weeks, 2 for 4weeks). At 2nd and 4th week, serum samples were collected to measure ALT, AST, liver tissue samples were collected to observe pathological changes through HE staining, masson staining and reticular fiber staining.Results Hepatic fibrosis was successfully induced by CCL4, and significant fibrosis around the portal area and formation of spiky fibers and fibrous septa were observed. Serum levels of ALT, AST in group B and C, according to the same experimental period, were significantly higher than in group A(P<0.05),and group C was significantly lower than in group B(P<0.05). Compare in subgroups, AST in group B2 was higher than in group B1(P<0.05), and ALT, AST in group C2 was lower than C1(P<0.05).HE staining, reticular fiber staining and masson staining showed that among groups, according to the same experimental period, liver fibrosis and inflammation in group B were the most severe, and group C was relieved significantly when compared to group B. Compare in subgroups, liver fibrosis and inflammation in group B2 was more severe than group B1, while C2 was more relieved than C1. And seen from the Ishak scoring system and statistics analysis results of the scores, there are differences between the three groups(P<0.05), and group B was the most severe in both inflammatory and fibrotic scores, according to the same experimental period. Compare in subgroups,there are differences between B2 and B1 in both inflammatory and fibrotic scores(P<0.05), though scores of group C2 were higher than group C1,only inflammatory scores, not fibrotic scores had remarkable difference(P<0.05).Conclusion Interleukin- 7 reduces CC14-induced liver fibrosis and inflammatory in a time-dependent manner in mice.