PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Platelet-activating factor involvement in thioacetamide-induced experimental liver fibrosis and cirrhosis

Digestive Diseases and Sciences, ISSN: 0163-2116, Vol: 55, Issue: 2, Page: 276-284
2010
  • 23
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 19
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

Article Description

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent lipid inflammatory mediator acting on cells through its specific receptor. Plasma PAF-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) is the main enzyme that inactivates PAF in blood, participating in its homeostasis. The objective of this study was to investigate the involvement of PAF in the liver fibrotic process using an experimental animal model. Liver fibrosis was induced in adult male Wistar rats by administration of thioacetamide (TAA) in drinking water (300 mg/l) for three months. The animals were sacrificed at time 0 (control group) and after 1, 2, and 3 months. PAF levels in liver and blood and PAF-AH activity in plasma were determined. Liver histopathological examination was also performed. TAA administration resulted in progressively increased liver fibrosis, leading finally to the formation of cirrhotic nodules in the liver. Throughout the experiment PAF levels in liver tissue remained stable. "Total" ("free" plus "bound") PAF levels in blood decreased, reaching statistically significant differences in the first and third months compared with the control group (P < 0.05). "Free" PAF levels in blood were higher at one month (P < 0.05) and decreased gradually thereafter. In all treated groups, "bound" PAF levels in blood decreased whereas plasma PAF-AH activity increased (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. Our data indicated alterations of PAF levels in blood and PAF-AH activity during fibrosis induction, implicating participation of PAF in the liver fibrotic process. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Bibliographic Details

Karantonis, Haralabos C; Gribilas, Georgios; Stamoulis, Ioannis; Giaginis, Constantinos; Spiliopoulou, Chara; Kouraklis, Gregorios; Demopoulos, Constantinos; Theocharis, Stamatios E

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Medicine

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know