Author(s): Souza, Marcia Maria de ; Paraná, Raymundo ; Trepo, Christian ; Barbosa Júnior, Aryon de Almeida ; Oliveira, Irismar ; Andrade, Zilton de Araújo
Date: 2014
Origin: Oasisbr
Subject(s): Interferon-a; Hepatic fibrosis; Capillaria hepatica; Capillaria; Interferons; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Hydroxyproline
p. 343-348
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Interferon-a is used in antiviral therapy in humans, mainly for viral hepatitis B and C. An anti-fibrotic effect of interferon has been postulated even in the absence of anti-viral response, which suggests that interferon directly inhibits fibrogenesis. Rats infected with the helminth Capillaria hepatica regularly develop diffuse septal fibrosis of the liver, which terminates in cirrhosis 40 days after inoculation. The aim of this study was to test the anti-fibrotic effect of interferon in this experimental model. Evaluation of fibrosis was made by three separate methods: semi-quantitative histology, computerized morphometry and hydroxyproline measurements. Treatment with interferon-a proved to inhibit the development of fibrosis in this model, especially when doses of 500,000 and 800,000 IU were used for 60 days. Besides confirming the anti-fibrotic potential of interferon-a on a non-viral new experimental model of hepatic fibrosis, a clear-cut dose-dependent effect was observed.
