[Expression of hepatic Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in schistosome-infected mice and the role of pentoxifylline].

Objective: To study the expression of hepatic Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum and the role of pentoxifylline (PTX) in the expression.

Methods: Forty mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: one normal control group,mice in the other three groups were all infected each with 25 cercariae, the infected control group was fed for 10 weeks after infection, and 2 weeks after infection, the high dose PTX group was given PTX 360 mg/(kg x d) for 8 weeks and the low dose PTX group was given PTX 180 mg/(kg x d)also for 8 weeks. At the end of 10 weeks all the mice were killed. Bcl-2 and Bax proteins expression was detected by immunohistochemisty.

Results: Compared with the normal control group, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was significantly higher in the infected control group (P < 0.05). Bcl-2 was significantly higher in high (dose PTX group than in the infected control group and in low dose PTX group (P < 0.05). However there was no significant difference in the expression of Bax among the groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: PTX treatment can significantly increase the expression of Bcl-2 in liver tissue of schistosome-infected mice in a dose-dependent manner, and may play a role against liver inflammation and schistosomiasis-related liver fibrosis.