Antifibrogenic effect of Mesenchymal stem cell against Thioacetamide-Induced Liver fibrosis in Rats

Liver fibrosis is one of the most prevalent health problem in the world and resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the antifibrogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cell in liver fibrosis induced by TAA and some of its underlying mechanisms was investigated.40 male albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups 10 rats per every group as Group 1; normal control group, Group 2; Control group for only a single dose of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs, 3x106 cell/ml), Group 3; TAA-treated group (200mg TAA /kg body weight I/P three times a week for 6 weeks) and Group 4; rats injected with TAA for six weeks then injected intravenous with a single dose of MSCs (3x106 cell/ml) per rat at tail vein for another eight weeks. MSCs improved liver biomarker via decreasing serum level of ALT and AST in comparison to fibrotic group with significant increase in the level of albumin and total protein and improved oxidative status of the hepatic tissue. TAA is successfully induced liver fibrosis that was assessed histopathologically by Crossman’s trichrome staining and immunostaining of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). MSCs successfully improved pathological alterations in hepatic tissues induced by TAA as well as it could suppress α-SMA and increase the level of HGF in immunostained sections. Finally, MSCs have therapeutic effect on experimentally induced liver fibrosis using TAA via its regenerative capacity and anti-fibrotic effect. Therefore, the obtained results recommend that, MSCs could be used as a complementary treatment in hepatic fibrosis