Objective To explore the relationship between the plasma level of carbon monoxide and the hyperdynamic circulation of cirrhotic rats. Methods S.D. rats were divided into cirrhotic ( n =10) and control ( n =10) groups. Liver cirrhosis was induced by percutaneous administration of carbon tetrachloride. Mean arterial pressure (MAP, kPa),heart rate (HR,beat/min) and portal pressure (PP,cm H 2O) were measured by indwelling catheters. Plasma CO was measured by Chalmers method, and plasma NO 2/NO 3 was determined by the reduction of cadmium column. Heme oxygenase (HO) activity in splanchnic organs from cirrhotic rats and controls was also determined. Results Typical features of cirrhosis were histologically observed in carbon tetrachloride treated animals. The cirrhotic group presented a significant increase in plasma CO [( 18.69 ? 1.86 )?mol/L vs. ( 10.27 ? 1.21 )?mol/L, P

Objective To investigate the expression of integrin avβ3 in both of hepatic stellate cell (HSC)and fibrotic liver tissue,and to demonstrate whether integrin avβ3 is a phenotypical receptor of activated HSC.Methods HSC were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats and activated by prolonged cultural.The rats were injected with 175 mg of thioacetamide twice a week for 12 weeks to induce liver fibosis.The expressions of avβ3 and a-SMA were identified by immunocytochemical staining.The expression of avβ3 in HSC,normal and fibrotic tissues were examined by real-time PCR and Western blot.Results The expression of avβ3 in activated HSC were up regulated and levels of mRNA and protein were increased to 18 and 5.2 folds on day 14 compared with day 1 and were also higher than control(t=2.39,P＜0.05;t=2.74,P＜0.05).The immunochemistry staining showed that integrin avβ3 was expressed on membrane of activated HSCs.The avβ3 and a-SMA were expressed in portal vein in normal liver,but were also expressed in portal and fibrotic.Conclusions The integrin avβ3 is up-regulated in activated HSC both in vitro and in vivo.It is a phenotypical receptor of activated HSC which involved in liver fibrosis.