Li Xiaoyue, Shen Jilong, Zhong Zhengrong, Wen Huiqin, Luo Qingli, Wei Wei
Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Department of Pathobiology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, People's Republic of China.
J Parasitol. 2009 Dec;95(6):1520-4. doi: 10.1645/GE-1994.1.
Treatment of liver fibrosis associated with Schistosoma japonicum ova-induced granulomas remains a challenging proposition. There is a close relationship between high levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13) and the development of severe schistosome fibrosis. In contrast, IL-13 receptor (R) α2 has an effective role in attenuation of profibrosis. Several Chinese herbs have significant beneficial effects in liver disease. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of Paeoniflorin (PAE) on liver fibrosis. A mouse model for liver fibrosis was established, using infection with S. japonicum cercariae via the skin. Liver tissue was used to examine the effect of PAE on hydroxyproline, collagen I and III, and IL-13 and IL-13Rα2. The results showed that PAE has significant suppressive effect on the increase of both hepatic hydroxyproline and collagen I and III, which are the main components of extracellular matrix (ECM). Meanwhile, PAE not only inhibits IL-13 production, it also elevates IL-13Rα2 in PAE-pretreated groups compared with controls. These results suggested that PAE can improve liver fibrosis due to S. japonicum infection. The effect of PAE appears to depend on a decrease of IL-13 and an increase of IL-13Rα2.
日本血吸虫卵诱导的肉芽肿相关肝纤维化的治疗仍然是一个具有挑战性的难题。高水平的白细胞介素-13（IL-13）与严重血吸虫纤维化的发展密切相关。相比之下，IL-13受体（R）α2在减轻纤维化方面具有有效作用。几种中药对肝脏疾病有显著的有益作用。因此，本研究的目的是探讨芍药苷（PAE）对肝纤维化的治疗作用。通过经皮肤感染日本血吸虫尾蚴建立肝纤维化小鼠模型。用肝脏组织检测PAE对羟脯氨酸、I型和III型胶原蛋白以及IL-13和IL-13Rα2的影响。结果表明，PAE对肝羟脯氨酸以及作为细胞外基质（ECM）主要成分的I型和III型胶原蛋白的增加具有显著抑制作用。同时，与对照组相比，PAE不仅抑制IL-13的产生，还能提高PAE预处理组中IL-13Rα2的水平。这些结果表明，PAE可以改善日本血吸虫感染所致的肝纤维化。PAE的作用似乎取决于IL-13的减少和IL-13Rα2的增加。
