Published online Sep 15, 2000. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v6.iSuppl3.100
Revised: June 10, 2000
Accepted: July 10, 2000
Published online: September 15, 2000
AIM: To study the clinical significance of alterations of serum hyaluronic acid in rats with carbon tetrachloride induced liver fibrosis.
METHODS: Rat liver fibrosis model was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The rats were divided into five groups: group 1 (control): 0 wk with no CCl4-inducing; group 2, 3, 4 and 5: 3, 6, 9 and 12 wk after CCl4-induction respectively. Serum HA level was analysed among various live rfibrosis groups and control, and then compared the HA findings with the hepatic histopathology.
RESULTS: During rat liver fibrosis, serum HA levels of the liver fibrosis groups (group 2: 7.98 ng/mL; group 3: 20.10 ng/mL; group 4: 229.73 ng/mL; group 5: 324.74 ng/mL) were significantly higher than that of control group (group 1: 0.21 ng/mL) (P < 0.01), in which group 4 and group 5 are much higher 1094 times (229.73 ng/mL/0.21 ng/mL)and 1546 times (324.74 ng/mL/0.21 ng/mL) than group 1 respectively. When compared with each other, the serum HA levels are 38 times (7.98 ng/mL/0.21 ng/mL; P < 0.01, group 2 vs group 1); 2.5 times (20.10 ng/mL/7.98 ng/mL; P < 0.01, group 3 vs group 2); 11.4 times (229.73 ng/mL/20.10 ng/mL; P < 0.01, group 4 vs group 3); 1.4 times (324.74 ng/mL/229.73 ng/mL; P < 0.01, group 5 vs group 4) respectively.
CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that the dynamic alterations of serum HA play an important role in the early clinical diagnosis and staging of liver cirrhosis.