Adult human liver slice cultures: Modelling of liver fibrosis and evaluation of new anti-fibrotic drugs

Figure 13  During treatment with alpha-Tocopherol and ursodeoxycholic acid in combination, significant inhibition of the TGF-β1 mRNA expression of fibrotic (F2-F3, F4) hepatitis C virus INF liver slice cultures from day 5 and significant reduction of Procol1A1 mRNA expression and the triglyceride production in F0 to F4 non-infected and hepatitis C virus INF liver slice cultures during the follow-up kinetics, as evidenced the real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, respectively. A and B: TGF-β1 mRNA expression (relative TGF-β1 expression /mg tissue) during the 21 days follow up kinetics, in α-Tocopherol (Toco) treated liver slice (LS); C and D: TGF-β1 mRNA expression (relative TGF-β1 expression /mg tissue) during the 21 days follow up kinetics, in ursodeoxycholic acid (UCDA) treated LS; E and F: TGF-β1 mRNA expression (relative TGF-β1 expression /mg tissue) during the 21 days follow up kinetics, in LS during the combined treatment, Toco + UCDA. Data are expressed as means ± SEM (F2-F3 liver samples, n = 2; F4 liver samples, n = 2). ^kP < 0.0001 subject vs control (non-treated); ^jP < 0.001 subject vs control (non-treated); ⁱP < 0.01 subject vs control (non-treated), ^hP < 0.05 subject vs control (non- treated) (two-way ANOVA test); G and H: Procol1A1 mRNA expression (relative Procol1A1 expression /mg tissue) during the 21 days follow up kinetics, in LS during the combined treatment, Toco + UCDA. Data are expressed as means ± SEM (F0-F1 liver samples, n = 10; F2-F3 liver samples, n = 2; F4 liver samples, n = 2). ^kP < 0.0001 subject vs control (non-treated); ^jP < 0.001 subject vs control (non-treated); ⁱP < 0.01 subject vs control (non-treated), ^hP < 0.05 subject vs control (non-treated); (two-way ANOVA test); I and J: Triglyceride production (µg/mg protein) during the 21 days follow-up kinetics, in NINF and hepatitis C virus INF LS from F0-F1 to F4 LS cultures significantly reduced by the combined treatment [Toco + UCDA (UA)], more particularly from day 15 in F4 hepatitis C virus infected LS cultures. Data are expressed as means ± SEM (F0-F1, n = 5, F2-F3 liver samples, n = 2; F4 liver samples, n = 2). ^kP < 0.0001 subject vs control (non- treated); ^jP < 0.001 subject vs control (non-treated); ⁱP < 0.01 subject vs control (non-treated), ^hP < 0.05 subject vs control (non-treated) (two-way ANOVA test).