Basic Research
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2006; 12(42): 6835-6841
Published online Nov 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i42.6835
Antioxidants vitamin E and C attenuate hepatic fibrosis in biliary-obstructed rats
Ali Riza Soylu, Nurettin Aydogdu, Umit Nusret Basaran, Semsi Altaner, Orhan Tarcin, Nursal Gedik, Hasan Umit, Ahmet Tezel, Gulbin Dokmeci, Huseyin Baloglu, Mevlut Ture, Kemal Kutlu, Kadir Kaymak
Ali Riza Soylu, Hasan Umit, Ahmet Tezel, Gulbin Dokmeci, Division of Gastroenterology, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
Nurettin Aydogdu, Kadir Kaymak, Department of Physiology, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
Umit Nusret Basaran, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
Semsi Altaner, Kemal Kutlu, Department of Pathology, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
Mevlut Ture, Department of Biostatistics, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
Orhan Tarcin, Division of Gastroenterology, Gumussuyu Military Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Nursal Gedik, Department of Biochemistry, Kasımpasa Naval Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Huseyin Baloglu, Department of Pathology, Haydarpasa GATA/Education Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by Trakya University Research Fund. TUBAP No. 548
Correspondence to: Ali Riza Soylu, MD, Trakya Universitesi, Gastroenteroloji Bolumu, Tip Fakultesi, 6. kat, Kutlutas, Edirne 22000, Turkey. alrsoylu@yahoo.com
Telephone: +90-284-2360580 Fax: +90-284-2352730
Received: May 24, 2006
Revised: September 3, 2006
Accepted: September 10, 2006
Published online: November 14, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether antioxidants vitamin E and C can retard development of hepatic fibrosis in the biliary-obstructed rats.

METHODS: Fifty Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups (10 rats in each). Bile duct was ligated in 40 rats and they were treated as follows: group vitC, vitamin C 10 mg/kg sc daily; group vitE, vitamin E 15 mg/kg sc daily; group vitEC, both of the vitamins; bile duct-ligated (BDL, control) group, physiological saline sc. The fifth group was assigned to sham operation. At the end of fourth week, the rats were decapitated, and hepatic tissue biochemical collagen content and collagen surface area were measured. Hepatic tissue specimens were histopathologically evaluated according to Scheuer system. Serum hyaluronate levels were measured by ELISA method.

RESULTS: Despite being higher than sham group, hepatic collagen level was significantly decreased in each of the vitC, vitE and vitEC groups (32.7 ± 1.2, 33.8 ± 2.9, 36.7 ± 0.5 μg collagen/mg protein, respectively) compared to BDL (48.3 ± 0.6 mg collagen/g protein) (P < 0.001 for each vitamin group). Each isolated vitamin C, isolated vitamin E and combined vitamin E/C supplementation prevented the increase in hepatic collagen surface density (7.0% ± 1.1%, 6.2% ± 1.7%, 12.3% ± 2.0%, respectively) compared to BDL (17.4% ± 5.6%) (P < 0.05 for each). The same beneficial effect of vitamin C, vitamin E and combined vitamin E/C treatment was also observed on the decrease of serum hyaluronate levels compared to BDL group (P < 0.001). The relative liver and spleen weights, serum transaminases, cholestatic enzymes, bilirubins and histopathological inflammation scores were not different between the antioxidant treatment groups and the control. However, fibrosis staging scores were obviously reduced only in the vitamin E/C combination group (vit EC: 2.4 ± 0.8 vs BDL: 3.1 ± 0.7; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Each antioxidant vitamin E, vitamin C and their combination retard hepatic fibrosis in biliary-obstructed rats. Oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis in secondary biliary cirrhosis.

Keywords: Hepatic fibrosis; Biliary obstruction; Collagen; Vitamin E; Vitamin C