Protective effect of thymic humoral factor on porcine serum-induced hepatic fibrosis and liver damage in Wistar rats.

Introduction: Immunomodulatory drugs have been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. Thymic humoral factor (THF), a peptide produced in the thymus, causes a potent immunomodulatory effect on different components of the immune system.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of THF on different stages of liver damage and fibrosis induced in rats through the administration of porcine serum (PS).

Material And Methods: PS-induced liver fibrosis models serve as a primarily immunological mechanism in the development of liver damage and fibrosis.

Results: The intraperitoneal administration of THF in rats with PS-induced liver damage produced a reduction of ALT and AST after 60 days. Histopathological changes in liver sections showed an improved histological appearance and lower % of fibrosis after 60 days in liver damaged rats that received THF treatment. Serum IL-6 levels were visibly reduced by THF administration after 60 days and in comparison with rats that did not receive the treatment. This was due to an increment in serum IL-10 levels caused by the administration of THF, which appears to reduce the inflammatory process by decreasing immune response.

Conclusion: THF had beneficial effects in combating liver damage and fibrosis processes in an autoimmune model of PS-induced liver fibrosis in rats.