Expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor and its intervention by interleukin-10 in experimental hepatic fibrosis

AIM:To study the expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1R and itsintervention by interleukin-10 in the course of experimentalhepatic fibrosis.METHODS:Hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats by carbontetrachloride intoxication and liver specimens were takenfrom the rats administered CC14 with or without IL-10treatment and the animals of the control group.Immunoreactivities for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)and IGF-1 receptor(IGF-1R) were demonstrated byimmunohistochemistry,and their intensities were evaluatedin different animal groups.RESULTS:The positive levels for IGF-1 and IGF-1R wereincreased with the development of hepatic fibrosis,with thepositive signals localized in cytoplasm and/or at the plasmicmembrane of hepatocytes.The positive signals of IGF-1and IGF-1R were observed more frequently (P<0.01) in theCCl4-treated group (92.0 % and 90.0 %) compared to thosein the control group.The positive signals decreasedsignificantly (P<0.05) in IL-10-treated group.The responsesin IGF-1 and IGF-1R expression correlated with the time ofIL-10 treatment.CONCLUSION:The expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1Rimrnunoreactivities in liver tissue seems to be up-regulatedduring development of hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl4,andexogenic IL-10 inhibits the responses.