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Background: The potential use of UCB in the treatment of hepatic failure (a majorproblem worldwide) has been a research focus for several years now. Recent studieshave identified UCB as a possible source of hepatic progenitor cells that can bedifferentiated into hepatocyte in vitro and in vivo and can ameliorate fibrosis.Objectives: the aim of this study was to investigate the hepatic response totransplantation of HUCB stem cells in CCl4 injured liver in mice, as regard liverfunction, histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Design: Experimental study.Setting: The stem cell unit in the Physiology Department and the animal house aftercord blood collection in the Gynecology and Obstetric department, Faculty ofMedicine, Suez Canal University. Materials and Methods: Hepatic fibrosis wasinduced by CCl4. HUCB stem cells were infused systemically through the tail veinimmediately (group 1), and after one week of receiving CCl4 (group 2), Group 3received only CCl4 (as a control group). Administration of CCl4 was continued for 10weeks in G1, G2 and G3, while group 4 (as another control group) received only thesolvent of CCl4 for 10 weeks. After that, blood from all groups was collected forassessment of liver function, then all mice were sacrified under general anesthesiaand the liver was fixed and prepared for histopathological and immumohistochemicalexamination. Results: It was found that the level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) inmice treated with stem cells after CCl4 administration was significantly lower whileserum albumin was significantly higher compared to group 3 animals who receivedCCl4 without stem cells treatment (P= 0.001). Whereas serum total and directbilirubin levels were similar among all groups. histopathological examinationrevealed that hepatic damage was less in the stem cells treated mice (G1 and G2) thanin non treated group (as regards liver cell changes, portal tract inflammation,piecemeal necrosis, portal tract fibrosis and bridging fibrosis). However, liverinflammation and fibrosis were more in mice treated after one week than inimmediately treated mice. Immumohistochemical examination, more importantly, IHCstaining with monoclonal mouse anti-human hepatocyte revealed presence of humanhepatocytes in injured mice liver which proved that the transplanted stem cells weretransdifferentiated into hepatocyte. Conclusion: HUCB stem cells weretransdifferentiated into hepatocyte when infused in mice injured liver and causeimprovement in liver function test and liver histology. |
