Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) isolated from mice (xenogeneic) and rats (allogeneic) on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) as well as to explore the modulatory effects on of oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and Nrf2 expression.
Methods: Male Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 (0.5 mL/kg) twice a week for 8 weeks. The animals were intravenously infused with BM-MSCs isolated from male mice or rats (1 × 106 cells/rat/week) into the lateral tail vein for 4 weeks.
Results: The treatment with BM-MSCs produced a significant increase in the diminished serum albumin level, a significant decrease in liver lipid peroxidation and an increase in glutathione content as well as SOD, GST, and GPx activities. Furthermore, BM-MSCs from both mice and rats produced a significant decrease in the elevated mRNA expression of liver CYP1A1, MMP-9, procollagen α1, TGF-β1, and increase in expression of lowered IL-4, IL-10, cluster CD-105, and Oct3/4. In liver of CCl4-injected rats, the lower protein expression of Nrf2 was upregulated and higher expressions of caspase-3, TNF-R1, NF-κB p65, TNF-α, p53, and COX-2 were downregulated by mice and rats' BM-MSCs. Histologically, BM-MSCs from both mice and rats successfully improved liver structural integrity and protected against liver injury.
Conclusions: The rats-derived BM-MSCs were significantly more potent than mice-derived BM-MSCs. Mice BM-MSCs and rats' BM-MSCs acted to improve CCl4-impaired liver function, structural integrity, fibrosis and cirrhosis in male Wistar rats via the suppression of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis and the enhancement of the antioxidant defense system.
Keywords: CCl4; apoptotic markers; bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; inflammatory cytokines; liver cirrhosis; oxidative stress; rats.
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