[Effect of antioxidant on hepatic stellate cell proliferation and apoptosis during recovery from liver fibrosis].

Objective: Effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin E and selenium on proliferation and apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cell(HSC) were investigated in the rat model of liver fibrosis induced by intraperitoneal injection with CCl4.

Methods: Activated HSC was determined by alpha-smooth muscle actin immunohistochemistry staining and apoptotic HSC determined by dual staining both of the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase UTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) and of alpha-smooth muscle actin immunohistochemistry.

Result: During fibrosis recovery, the number of activated HSCs both in pathological group and in intervention group went down gradually,meanwhile, both the number of apoptotic HSCs and the collagen liver also descend little by little. These data confirmed that HSCs had the core effect on liver fibrogenesis and apoptosis may be a major factor regulating HSCs numbers during the injury-fibrosis-recovery sequence. At each time point, the number of activated HSCs in pathological group is more than intervention group, while apoptotic HSCs are less, which suggested dietary supplement with antioxidative nutrients had effect on HSC apoptosis but more studies are necessary to make the mechanism clearer.

Conclusion: Dietary supplement with proper vitamin E and selenium can effectively lighten the hepatic fibrosis and promote the recovery of hepatocyte and the degradation of the existing collagens, ie, it is beneficial to the recovery of hepatic fibrosis.