OBJECTIVESTo study the effects of rat endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) transplantation on hepatic fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic fibrosis rats.

METHODSHepatic fibrosis was developed in 24 healthy female SD rats by feeding them 25% CCl4/olive oil for 8 weeks. Eight of them were sacrificed at the end of the 8 weeks. The rats were subdivided into a EPCs transplanting group (n=8) and a saline control group (n=8). After the EPCs were isolated and cultured for 9 days, the cells were injected into the portal veins of the rats in the EPCs transplanting group. Four weeks later all of the rats were sacrificed. The blood biochemical parameters from the serum were examined. The degree of liver fibrosis was evaluated by reading Masson staining liver slides and by detecting the expression of a-SMA and collagen III.

RESULTSCompared with the saline control group, hepatic activity index (HAI), levels of ALT, AST and TBil in the serum were all lower in the EPCs transplanting group, but the level of Alb was higher and the expression of a-SMA and collagen III were lower. Compared with the 8 week hepatic fibrosis group, the levels of ALT, AST and TBil in the serum of the EPCs transplanting group were all lower. In the saline control group, the serum levels of ALT, AST and TBil were higher, the level of Alb was lower, and the expressions of a-SMA and Collagen III were higher.

CONCLUSIONIn hepatic fibrosis rats, transplantation of rat EPCs could minimize the hepatic fibrosis process and the injuries.