A Study On The Interference And The Expression Of Matric Metalloproteinase-2,-9 And Tissue Inhibitor Of Metalloproteinases-1 MRNA Of Experimental Rat Liver Fibrosis

Objective To invesigate the effect of Chinese medicine Shosaikoto on the expression of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA in hepatic tissue of hepatic fibrosis rats. The mechanism of Shosaikoto to prevent experimental liver fibrosis could be disclosed at molecular level.Methods The hepatic fibrosis model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 40% CCL4 and interfered with different dose of Shosaikoto. Tissue sections were stained with routin HE. The mRNA of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were measured by semi quantitation reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results (1) In comparision with model group, the degree of proliferation of collagenous fibers in the liver reduced significantly in the therapetic groups . (2) On the 6th weeks, The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in model group increased significantly compared with normal contral group (p < 0. 01). On the 12th weeks, The expression of MMP-2 mRNA in the model group increased significantly compared with normal contral group (p <0.01), While it reduced significantly compared with the 6th weeks' model group (p<0.01); The level of MMP-9 mRNA reduced significantly compared with normal contral group (p<0.05); TIMP-1 increased significantly compared with the 6th weeksmodel group (p<0.01). (3) The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA in the 6th weeks' therapetic groups reduced significantly compared with model group (p<0. 05). On the 12th weeks, TIMP-1 mRNA in the therapetic group reduced significantly compared with model group (p<0. 01), While the difference in the MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA was not statistically significant between therapetic and model groups (p > 0. 05) . (4) there was no difference in the MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA among three therapetic groups of the same time.Conclusion Shosaikoto could significantly reduce the proliferation degree of collagenous fiber. It down regulated the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA in the early stage liver fibrosis and down regulated the TIMP-1 mRNA in the end stage liver fibrosis.