Augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) gene therapy attenuates CCl4-induced liver injury and fibrosis in rats

作者：Song, Ming; Yi, Xuerui; Chen, Wenyin; Yuan, Youcheng; Zhang, Xinrui; Li, Jin; Tong, Minghua; Liu, Guangze; You, Song; Kong, Xiangping^*

来源：Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2011, 415(1): 152-156.

DOI：10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.10.039

• Augmenter of liver regeneration
• Gene therapy
• Liver fibrosis
• Hepatic stellate cell
• Mitochondria
• Carbon tetrachloride

Liver fibrosis represents a process of healing and scarring in response to chronic liver injury. Augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) has been shown to protect hepatocytes from various toxins. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ALR gene therapy on liver injury and fibrosis induced by CCl4 in rats and further explore the underlying mechanisms. Human ALR expression plasmid was delivered via the tail vein. ALR gene therapy might protect the liver from CCl4-induced injury and fibrogenesis by attenuating the mitochondrial dysfunction, suppressing oxidative stress, and inhibiting activation of HSCs. This report demonstrated that ALR gene therapy protected against the ATP loss, increased the activity of ATPase, decreased intrahepatic reactive oxygen species level, and down-regulated transforming growth factor-beta 1, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression. Following gene transfer liver function tests were significantly improved. In brief, ALR gene therapy might be an effective therapeutic reagent for liver fibrosis with potential clinical applications.

• 出版日期2011-11-11
• 单位沈阳药科大学; 南方医科大学; 中国人民解放军第四五八医院